(Newswire.net — April 2, 2016) — More than 100 Gaza athletes were denied passage to Palestine by Israel, who finds the annual marathon against the violation of international laws of freedom of movement taking place in Bethlehem, offensive and provocative.
Insulted by the “provocative nature” of the marathon, as it implies that Israel is violating the laws of freedom of movement, Israel responded by blocking the Gaza Strip exit, restricting passage for athletes who wish to attend the marathon in Bethlehem, which is a violation of the freedom of movement.
Marathon organizers have said that this is the third time Israel has stopped athletes from attending the marathon by denying them passage to Bethlehem, they only allowed a very small number of Palestinians to participate, Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.
Among the 103 athletes barred, was star runner Nader Al-Masri, who represented Palestine at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Russia Today reported.
Besides Masri, Israel also put the organizers of the marathon on the ‘no passage’ list. The organisers are members of the Right to Movement and Right to Play campaign group, and the Palestine Olympic Committee.
It is “a blatant violation of all international laws and norms pertaining to athletes’ freedom of movement,” said the marathon’s organizer, I’tidal Abdul-Ghani.
The symbolic event is a 26-mile run organized every year in protest to movement restrictions imposed by Israel on Palestinians across the occupied territories.
The marathon starts at the Church of the Nativity in the old city area of Bethlehem, then goes through the city of Bethlehem to the two refugee camps and along the Israeli-constructed wall.
Winners are awarded with a medal made out of a local-growing olive tree, mimicking the olive tree branch carried by a white dove on the international Peace symbol.
COGAT, the Israeli defense ministry body responsible for implementing government policies in the Palestinian territories, accused Palestinian officials of intentionally turning in the forms too late in a bid to delegitimize Israel with bad press. Runners from Gaza were “submitted in too short notice and given a timeframe which is not the adequate amount of time for dealing with such requests,” COGAT wrote in a Facebook post.