Published: 2 July 2018
Last updated: 4 March 2024
FIVE PEOPLE WHO were taking part on a Birthright tour of Israel abandoned the program in protest calling it “one sided” and visited the Palestinian Occupied Territories instead.
The group of American Jews, who live streamed themselves leaving the tour, objected to the tour not teaching about Israel's occupation of the West Bank and left the tour on Thursday in order to visit Hebron and Bethlehem with anti-occupation group Breaking the Silence.
Danielle Raskin, who walked off the tour, released a statement on Twitter defending their decision. "We can no longer go on with this trip that was so deliberately hiding the truth from us," it said.
Birthright defended its tour by saying that it is "an apolitical project and the leading educational initiative in Israel."
FULL STORY Five quit 'one sided' Birthright Israel tour in protest and head to Palestinian Territories (Jewish Chronicle)
Israel bars entry to US Jewish BDS activist (Haaretz)
Ariel Gold arrived in Israel on a student visa, which was revoked at the airport. The interior minister says she tried to take advantage of the fact that she's Jewish to promote BDS
US Jews abandon Birthright tour in protest over hiding truth of Israeli occupation (Middle East Eye)
Five Americans live stream abandonment of controversial program to visit occupied Hebron with NGO Breaking the Silence instead
AND SEE
Investigation into Birthright and sexual harassment (Jewish Currents)
Photo: A group of Birthright participants walk down Masada (Jerusalem Post)
