U.S. refuses to grant visa to Israeli MK due to his membership in 'terror group'

[Scurrilous]

National Union MK Michael Ben Ari believes he was barred from U.S. for being a member of far-right Kach organization, says in response that this type of 'U.S. blindness' is what brought about the 9/11 attacks.

<snip>

"The U.S. government refused to grant a visa to National Union MK Michael Ben Ari, on the basis of his membership in a "terror organization."

Ben Ari has recently submitted a request to the U.S. consulate for a visa, so he could take part in two conferences held in the United States this week, one aimed at encouraging aliyah to Israel.

In response, however, he was told that he cannot be granted the visa based on a clause that allows the U.S. State Department to prohibit the entrance of people who were involved in terror activities or were members of a terror organization in a foreign country. Ben Ari believes that the U.S. government is referring to his membership in the Kach movement, a far-right political movement that is considered a terror organization in Israel, Canada, the European Union, and the United States."

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/u-s-refuses-to-grant-visa-to-israeli-mk-due-to-his-membership-in-terror-group-1.414456

[azurnoir]

1. this out to be interesting what party is Ben Ari serving in the Knesset under? n/t

[oberliner]

2. Do you not generally read the articles before commenting on them?

Might help answer basic questions like this (National Union).

[azurnoir]

3. it was a rhetorical question you do understand that right? well apparently not

do you just cruise through looking for things to nitpick? Could appear a bit petty to some but never mind I don't

[oberliner]

4. What rhetorical point were you making?

Can you elucidate?

[azurnoir]

5. easily that officially Ben Ari is a member of National Union

so if his alleged membership in Kach is the reason for the denial there will most likely be some 'diplomacy' involved orn short I doubt that 1. this will fly and 2 we haven't heard the last of this

[oberliner]

6. Would that be different if he was a member of a different party?

Not sure I understand the significance of him being National Union as opposed to an MK from a different party.

[azurnoir]

7. No it would not it could easily be any party as opposed to Kach

but exactly what is your point here?

[oberliner]

8. Trying to figure out why you asked what party he is from

I'm still not understanding what you were trying to communicate with that question.

[azurnoir]

9. already explained several posts back, now what are your thoughts on this?

this move has already been protested by by MK Reuven Rivlin who is also speaker of the Knesset, do you think that this decision will be reversed?

[azurnoir]

10. Here is Rivlin's and Ben Ari's statements from Ynet

Ben Ari is a member of the National Union party, which is a legitimate faction of the Israeli parliament, Rivlin wrote. The rightist MK is an elected representative of the people of Israel, a close friend of the US, and regarding him as a member of a terrorist group and banning him from the US is outrageous, the Knesset speaker added.

Addressing the issue, Ben Ari noted "the US government openly welcomed Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who called for the destruction of Israel."

"The American government chose to forbid me from meeting with memebers of the Jewish community in the US, on the grounds of me being a terrorist," he said.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4194540,00.html

[LeftishBrit]

11. Ben Ari is revolting.

[Scurrilous]

12. Israeli delegation cannot travel to U.S after MK Ben Ari denied entry visa

Knesset speaker banned MK delegation after National Union MK Ben Ari's application was denied based on State Department's prerogative to ban terrorists from U.S.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/israeli-delegation-cannot-travel-to-u-s-after-mk-ben-ari-denied-entry-visa-1.418047

<snip>

"Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin announced Monday he is banning a delegation of MKs from attending a women's conference in Washington this month because the United States has denied entry to MK Michael Ben Ari (National Union)

MKs Zahava Gal-On (Meretz), Tzipi Hotovely (Likud) and Einat Wilf (Atzmaut) were scheduled to take part in a four-day conference on women that begins March 25 and will be hosted by the U.S. Congress.

They were due to sit on a panel with U.S. congresswomen and to launch a collaborative project between the Knesset and Congress. Gal-On, Hotovely and Wilf were also scheduled to attend a reception at the Israeli Embassy in Washington.

The U.S. refusal to grant entry to Ben Ari because of what it said are his ties to a terrorist group amounts to "an assault on the Knesset as a whole," Rivlin said Monday. "The United States' allegation that an MK is a terrorist is unacceptable."

Ben Ari is a long-time follower of the late Rabbi Meir Kahane, whose Kach party is outlawed in Israel and is considered a terrorist organization in the United States."