For Immediate Release Thursday, July 8, 2004
Contact: (972) 08-973-3336

SHURAT HADIN APPLAUDS TEL-AVIV COURT'S DECISION TO EXPEL ISM AGITATOR

(TEL AVIV) Shurat HaDin - Israel Law Center applauds today's decision by
the Tel Aviv District Court to uphold the expulsion order of International
Solidarity Movement (ISM) activist Anne Robinson Petter. Petter was
detained at Ben-Gurion Airport by Israeli security officials when she
attempted to enter Israel two weeks ago.

This afternoon, the District Court found her presence in Israel to be a
threat to national security and ordered her returned to the United States.

In April 2003, Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that the
Palestinian funded militant group works closely with the terrorist
organizations: "ISM members take an active part in illegal and violent
actions against IDF soldiers. At times, their activity in Judea, Samaria and
the Gaza Strip is under the auspices of Palestinian terrorist
organizations."

ISM encourages its members to enter Israel on fraudulent visa applications
and illegally cross into the territories

ISM demonstrators regularly disrupt IDF patrols in Judea, Samaria and Gaza

ISM members have been arrested vandalizing and destroying Israeli security
fences and equipment

On March 27, 2003 fugitive Islamic Jihad terrorist, Shadi Sukiya, was
arrested in a house in Jenin rented by the ISM
On April 30, 2003, two British Muslims blew themselves up at a popular Tel
Aviv nightspot, Mike's Place, killing three and injuring fifty. The
terrorist had spent the weeks before the attack living with the ISM in Gaza.

In recent days, the General Security Service reported that foreign ISM
militants were assisting the PLO and Hamas in smuggling weapons and
explosives into Israel.

Shurat HaDin, which represents the family of an Israeli soldier currently on
trial for the alleged shooting of ISM militant, Tom Hurndall, in April 2003,
has called upon Israel's Foreign Minister to outlaw the extremist
organization.

"ISM agitators have been permitted to repeatedly enter Israel and cross into
Gaza without anyone challenging their activities or intentions," stated
Shurat HaDin Director Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, "After the connection between
the terrorist bombing of Mike's Place in April 2003 and the ISM was
revealed, we demanded that the Foreign Ministry ban their entry. Hopefully,
today's ruling will establish a long overdue legal precedent."

FOR MORE INFORMATION: 972-8-973-3336
EMAIL: info@israellawcenter.org