Writing in the New York Times Sunday Magazine, author Nathan Filer describes his awkward wedding proposal to his girlfriend Emily. It was awkward because he was forced to reveal the engagement ring he had purchased when a security official at Ben Gurion Airport forced him to empty his pockets. They were detained by security and then deported because of what he claims was their “human rights work in Palestine.”
We could point out some of the facts about why they were detained and deported (which he seems to have left out to make his story sound that much more sympathetic.) But we think some of the online comments on the article make all the relevant points.
“Edge” from Brooklyn, NY writes about Mr. Filer’s involvement with the International Solidarity Movement:
Undisclosed is the fact of Mr. Filer’s known association with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), which far from being a human-rights organization as self-servingly claimed, is a rejectionist group with explicit anti-Israel animus and ideology, and several of whose members have acknowledged in interviews cooperating with militant and terrorist organizations including Islamic Jihad, while others have been convicted and sentenced to federal prison for materially aiding Hamas.
“David” from California makes a good point lost in the story-telling:
Let me understand, you moved a diamond ring into Israel, through Israeli customs and didn’t claim it? You kept it hidden?
But our favorite was from “Simple Sam” from New Jersey:
Thank you so much for publishing this wonderful story which portrays the compassion and kindness of the Jewish people. You are so correct in pointing out that in a Jewish State the guards were courteous and made an exception for allowing you and your betrothed to be together and have private time together. You were deported because the government determined (based on his previous visit) you would be a detriment to others; they have a right to this.
When articles with a bias against Israel are published online, everyone has the right and ability to add a comment so that other viewers will learn what has been left out. We at HonestReporting would like to commend those online activists who took the time to try and bring some perspective to this story.
Image: CC BY-NC-SA flickr/Bianca Francesca
