The new law flips the situation around such that entry for individuals affiliated with designated pro-BDS organizations would be automatically banned, unless the Interior Minister allows it.
So a key component of the law is “shifting the burden” from the state to the foreign activists themselves. Now, instead of the Ministry of the Interior having to account for why someone shouldn’t be admitted into the country, it’ll be up to the BDS-supporting visitors to “persuade the state” why she or he should be allowed in.
The law aims to address the absurd situation that’s developed in Israel where foreign BDS activists enter Israel under false pretenses and routinely take advantage of automatically issued tourist visas to engage in political warfare against the state.
Every nation on the planet is entitled to control its borders and determine which foreign nationals can enter. Israel isn’t particularly unique in refusing entry to people determined to be threats to the state, but the law makes such bans more transparent because individuals would no longer be refused entry into Israel on a case-by-case basis, left solely up to the discretion of the government.
Israel should have done that long ago.
BDS, not just Israel but a lot of people should speak out at least, against BDS. It sounds like it is on college campuses.
This is GREAT! A lot of Jews want it both ways - they visit the Holy Land, take lots of pictures, go back to NYC, show everyone what a wonderful time they had - and then FIGHT LIKE HELL to get Israel destroyed.
Not so easy anymore!
Another bunch goes to Israel to ‘organize resistance’, to use an Obama term...they too will have a tough time getting in.