Israel bars Gaza Olympic runner from entering West Bank for race
Supreme Court upholds IDF decision to prevent runner from entering West Bank race, but says military should consider easing ban.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a decision by the IDF to prevent a Palestinian Olympian from leaving the Gaza Strip to participate in a marathon in the West Bank.
Israel has severely restricted the movement of people and goods in and out of Gaza since the Islamic militant Hamas seized power there in 2007. The closure policy is also enforced by Gaza's neighbor Egypt.
Tuesday's ruling ends hopes of 34-year-old Nader Masri to participate in Friday's marathon in Bethlehem. He was also prevented from running in the first Bethlehem marathon in 2013.
Masri, who participated in the 2008 Olympics, says he is disappointed because he hoped to compete against runners outside Gaza.
Israel says only humanitarian hardship cases are allowed to leave Gaza. The judges said they cannot interfere in the military's decisions but that it should consider easing the travel ban.
"I applied for a permit to go to Bethlehem through the Erez crossing to take part in the marathon taking place on April 11, but unfortunately I was informed last Friday that Israel rejected my application," Masri said Monday.
Gisha, an Israeli watchdog that works to facilitate Palestinian freedom of movement, said Monday that it had taken up Masri's case, and petitioned the court.
The organization published the response it received from the Defense Ministry unit responsible for coordinating civilian affairs with the Palestinians, to its application on Masri's behalf.
"At the present time, in view of the current diplomatic-security situation, the entry of residents of the Gaza Strip to Israel is not allowed except in exceptional humanitarian cases, with emphasis on urgent medical cases," it said.
Gisha says Israeli rules do allow Gazans to attend West Bank "special events sponsored by the (western-backed) Palestinian Authority." In this case, it said,"the Olympic Committee of the Palestinian Authority invited Masri to take part."
Masri, who finished last in his 5,000 metres heat at the 2008 Beijing Games, said that joining runners from the West Bank was deeply important to him.
"This marathon is important to me, it will be the first time I can take part in the Palestinian marathon and meet friends I only talk to on the phone," he said.
"I have crossed Erez numerous times. I am a Palestinian athlete and I have won several awards. I have nothing to do with politics and I do not know why Israel denied me a permit."
