Below is a list of the known incidents in which people have been detained and questioned upon arriving in Israel, and in certain cases refused entry to the country. The first known instance of this was in 2010, when the Jewish-American professor Noam Chomsky was refused entry on the basis of his criticism of Israeli policies. Since then, there had been a small number of incidents — until 2018, when a sharp increase in both detainments and deportations becomes apparent.

The main legal measure preventing the entry of these people is the 2017 Amendment No. 27 to the Entry Into Israel Law, which prohibits the entry to Israel of any foreigner who makes a “public call for boycotting Israel ... or any area under its control.” The amendment also adds the person in question must have a “reasonable chance of succeeding (in their effort to boycott),” a statement which can be interpreted in different ways.

Most of the people on the list are academics, students and activists, some of whom have direct ties to the BDS movement and others who have no clear ties to any organizations boycotting Israel. Roughly three to five unnamed people have also been denied entry to Israel at the same time as other people on the list. Not knowing who they are, we have been unable to include them on this list. Lastly, we have included three Israeli citizens who were detained upon reentry into Israel, as well as two Jewish-American medical professionals who, while allowed entry into Israel proper, were refused access to the Gaza Strip as part of a Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility medical aid mission.

Noam Chomsky: 2010

Jewish-American intellectual and critic of Israeli policies prevented from entering at Allenby Bridge. First known case of a critic being prevented entry into Israel.

Harald Fuller-Bennett: 2010

Jewish-American and former Birthright participant prevented from entering due to Shin Bet’s suspicion that he had ties to unnamed terrorist organizations and was planning to convert to Islam.

Mairead Maguire: 2010

Irish Nobel Peace Prize laureate attempting to visit Israel and Palestine with the Nobel Women’s initiative detained and deported based on her participation in the 2008 Gaza Flotilla.

Jared Malsin: 2010

Jewish-American journalist working as editor for Palestinian news agency denied entry for allegedly lying about the nature of his activities and repeatedly overstaying his visa.

Isabel Phiri: 2016

Malawian theologian, professor and associate secretary general of the World Council of Churches denied entry on the basis of the WCC’s alleged support for BDS.

Raed Jarrar: 2017

Palestinian- American working for Amnesty International denied entry via Jordan based on ties to BDS.

Jennifer Spitzer: 2017

Jewish-American vice president for finance, operations and administration at the New Israel Fund and former CEO of the San Francisco Jewish Federation detained and questioned about alleged connections to BDS upon arriving in Israel to participate in the annual meeting of NIF’s international board in Jerusalem.

Alissa Wise: 2017

Jewish-American rabbi denied entry for being a deputy director with Jewish Voice for Peace and a supporter of BDS.

Susan Abulhawa: 2018

Palestinian-American author traveling to Palestine to contribute to the Kalimat Palestinian Literature Festival. Second time detained and deported by Israel (first time in 2015).

Lara Alqasem: 2018

Palestinian- American student detained at Ben-Gurion Airport and temporarily prevented from studying at Hebrew University due to alleged ties with BDS and SJP.

Reza Aslan: 2018

Iranian-American intellectual detained and questioned while entering via Jordan due to alleged anti-Israel personal contacts.

Peter Beinart: 2018

Jewish-American journalist detained and questioned at Ben-Gurion Airport over his political views and expressed support for a boycott of settlement products.

Kathrine Franke: 2018

Columbia University professor detained with a group of fellow U.S. civil rights activists refused entry due to her alleged support of BDS.

Ariel Gold: 2018

Jewish-American pro-Palestinian activist and advocate of BDS refused entry while attempting to participate in a Jewish Studies program at the Hebrew University.

Yehudit Ilana: 2018

Israeli citizen stopped after covering the Gaza Flotilla in May 2010 for Social Television, a Hebrew-language news site identified with the left.

No photo available.

Donald Mellman: 2018

Physician and neurosurgeon who has in seven past visits to Gaza served as an advisor to both doctors and patients; this time he and another Jewish-American colleague was refused entry into Gaza as part of a medical aid team and was told that his Jewishness put him at increased risk in Gaza and was a security liability.

Dvorah Kost: 2018

Jewish-American social worker who has, during past visits to the Gaza Strip, organized youth programs and exercise classes. Was this time refused entry to Gaza while attempting to enter as part of a medical aid team, told that her Jewishness put her at increased risk in Gaza and was a security liability.

Meyer Koplow: 2018

Jewish-American philanthropist, chair of the Brandeis University Board of Trustees, detained and questioned at Ben-Gurion Airport after a Palestinian weekly This Week in Palestine, was found in his suitcase.

Lydia de Leeuw: 2018

Dutch criminologist and long-time partner of Palestinian human rights organizations detained and deported for her BDS activism while attempting to conduct research.

Pauline Overeem: 2018

Dutch activist and researcher detained and refused entry at Ben-Gurion Airport over her alleged support for BDS.

Frank Romano: 2018

French-American professor arrested for blocking a bulldozer during an anti-demolition demonstration at Khan al-Ahmar. Detained by a military court, subsequently ordered released by Israeli civil court.

Moriel Rothman-Zecher: 2018

Israeli citizen, author and activist detained and questioned while visiting Israel from the U.S. due to his participation in alleged “left-wing organizations” including Breaking the Silence and All That’s Left.

Tania Rothstein: 2018

Israeli citizen detained upon her return from a Swedish Foreign Ministry conference in Sweden.

No photo available.

Ana Sanchez Mera: 2018

Spanish activist detained and deported for her role as a senior member of the BDS National Committee of Spain.

Omar Shakir: 2018

Palestinian-American director of Human Rights Watch issued deportation order for HRW’s alleged support of BDS but subsequently allowed to stay in Israel.

Vincent Warren: 2018

American civil rights activist and executive director of the Center for Constitutional Rights detained and deported for alleged ties to BDS.

Julie Shayna Weinberg-Conors: 2018

Jewish-American rabbinical student coming to Israel to study at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies detained at Ben Gurion Airport. She was eventually allowed entry after intervention by MKs of Meretz Party and has now been granted Israeli citizenship after promising not to visit West Bank without authorization.

Simone Zimmerman: 2018

Jewish-American activist and co-founder of IfNotNow detained and questioned while returning into Israel from Egypt via the Sinai border.

Abby Kirschbaum: 2018

Jewish-American detained while crossing the border from Egypt into Israel while traveling with Simone Zimmerman (IfNotNow co-founder) and questioned regarding political views and ties to Palestine.

List compiled by PIJ Interns Andrew Hebert and Nissim Lebovits.