Iranian blogger Hossein Derakhshan is visiting Israel, risking the possibility of never returning to his home. Here’s why:
This might mean that I won’t be able to go back to Iran for a long time, since Iran doesn’t recognize Israel, has no diplomatic relations with it, and apparently considers traveling there illegal. Too bad, but I don’t care. Fortunately, I’m a citizen of Canada and I have the right to visit any country I want.
I’m going to Israel as a citizen journalist and a peace activist.
As a citizen journalist, I’m going to show my 20,000 daily Iranian readers what Israel really looks like and how people live there. The Islamic Republic has long portrayed Israel as an evil state, with a consensual political agenda of killing every single man and woman who prays to Allah, including Iranians.
I’m going to challenge that image.
(Hat tip: Israellycool)
UPDATE 1/29/06: Derakhshan’s certainly attracting attention. He got op-ed space in the NY Times.
