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Ha'aretz: "'Dangerous' political websites blocked from viewing at Israel's airport"

Ben Gurion International Airport's wireless service reportedly is blocking travelers from selected left- and right-wing political websites, including that of Peace Now. (UPDATE: changes have been made and as of January 12, the Peace Now website is available for viewing at the airport) Peace Now's Yariv Oppenheimer: "It's regrettable that people leaving Israel should be made to feel as though they were leaving China or North Korea. Only backward countries bar Internet sites expressing political opinions." Also see excerpts and links to: JTA: "Ben Gurion Airport blocking political websites" AFP: "Israel airport wifi blocks political sites"

----------------- 1/6/11 Ha'aretz: "'Dangerous' political websites blocked from viewing at Israel's airport" Barred sites include leftist organizations Breaking the Silence, Machsom Watch, Peace Now and Taayush and the rightist Legal Forum for the Land of Israel and World Headquarters to Save the People and Land of Israel. By Sefi Krupsky (excerpts) Internet sites of political organizations, both left-wing and right-wing, have been barred from viewing at Ben-Gurion Airport, Haaretz has learned. They are blocked by an information filtering company that classifies them as "dangerous." Peace Now secretary general Yariv Oppenheimer said "it's regrettable that people leaving Israel should be made to feel as though they were leaving China or North Korea. Only backward countries bar Internet sites expressing political opinions." Read the entire article: http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/dangerous-political-websites-blocked-from-viewing-at-israel-s-airport-1.335467 ------------------------ (UPDATE: changes have been made and as of January 12, the Peace Now website is available for viewing at the airport) JTA: "Ben Gurion Airport blocking political websites" January 6, 2011 (JTA) -- Ben Gurion International Airport's wireless service reportedly is blocking travelers from selected left- and right-wing political websites. Websites blocked at the Israeli airport include Breaking the Silence, Peace Now and the Legal Forum for the Land of Israel, Haaretz reported Thursday. Haaretz quoted Israel Airport Authority officials as saying that its instructions to its wireless provider, 012, are to block bandwidth-heavy sites and pornography and gambling sites. IAA also noted, however, that 012 uses a filter that categorizes controversial sites. According to Haaretz, 012 had no comment. http://www.jta.org/news/article/2011/01/06/2742441/ben-gurion-blocks-political-websites ----------------------- (UPDATE: changes have been made and as of January 12, the Peace Now website is available for viewing at the airport) AFP: "Israel airport wifi blocks political sites" 6 January 2010 (excerpts) JERUSALEM -- Israel's Airport Authority said on Thursday it is examining its wireless Internet service at Ben Gurion airport after learning it blocks access to a range of Israeli political websites. The restrictions were first reported by Haaretz newspaper, which said the wifi service was blocking access to sites run by leftist organisations such as Peace Now and Breaking the Silence, as well as right-wing groups like the Legal Forum for the Land of Israel. Read the entire article HERE