Israel has blocked a Palestinian Authority official from traveling from Gaza to Brazil, allegedly to attend the World Cup.
A report released to international wire services, the Palestinian Football Association said its deputy general-secretary Mohammad Ammassi was not allowed to travel from Gaza to Judea and Samaria, and then from there to Jordan, where he would allegedly continue on to Brazil.
In its statement, however, the PFA admitted, “This is not the first time Mr. Amassi has been denied a travel permit.” There was no explanation as to why Amassi has been denied travel permits in the past. The PA claimed “Israeli authorities have nothing against him,” and complained that the rejection was “a temperamental and arbitrary measure.”
Palestinian Authority Arabs have traveled daily in and out of Gaza via the Erez Crossing for medical and humanitarian reasons, and in and out of Judea and Samaria for business and similar employment reasons for years.
It is not known, however, whether or not the rejection was part of Israeli sanctions imposed in response to the Ramallah-based PA’s reconciliation with Gaza’s Hamas terrorist rulers, which resulted in the new PA unity government. What is known is that numerous Arab terrorist organizations have threatened to attack Israeli targets abroad.
