Feds detain two Palestinian visitors at SFO who arrived for humanitarian mission
Two Palestinian visitors expected to participate in a Bay Area interfaith speaking series were detained at the San Francisco International Airport Wednesday, despite having valid visitor visas, and are being denied entry into the U.S., advocates told the Chronicle.
San Francisco Supervisor Bilal Mahmood told the Chronicle early Thursday morning that there was an 'urgent situation unfolding' at the airport after police detained the two men, who were scheduled to speak at a series of Bay Area interfaith events.
Protesters were already expected to swarm SFO to support the two men, whose identities are being withheld to protect their safety.
The two men, residents of a Bedouin village on the West Bank, were invited by local faith communities, including the Kehilla Community Synagogue and the Buena Vista and Los Altos United Methodist Churches, according to the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
One of the men is an artist and photographer. The other is a teacher. Both are parents. Phillip Weintraub, a lead organizer of the Kehilla Community Synagogue's partnership with the men's village, said both men were not connected to any Palestinian political organizations and were committed to nonviolence. One had met previously with congressional representatives, including the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Weintraub said.
The two activists had speaking engagements in Alameda, Santa Clara, Oakland and other Bay Area cities.
'They had valid visas but were invalidated on entry without cause,' Mahmood said in a text. 'I am here with their Jewish sponsors, whose synagogue they were here to speak at tomorrow.'
Mahmood said in a social media post that the two activists have been held at the airport since 1 p.m. Wednesday and were prepared to send them back on a plane to the Middle East.
Bay Area faith leaders demanded that the two men be released immediately and for the State Department and Department of Homeland Security to 'stop targeting Palestinian travelers' and uphold the right to free speech and 'peaceful interfaith exchange.'
Weintraub said his community has had a relationship with the men for three years as part of an interfaith 'reparative alliance' envisioned as connecting American Jews, Israelis and Palestianians to promote non-violence in Israel and Palestine.
'They're known, wonderful folks,' Weintraub said. 'Coming over to connect, promote interfaith connection between Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities. They're trying to survive and live in peace.'
Weintraub said he arrived at the airport after 1 p.m. yesterday to pick them up for a flight from Doha, but they never showed up. He received a call from a Customs and Border Protection agent that night saying, 'they will not be entering the United States,' he said.
This is a developing story. Check sfchronicle.com for updates.
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