CNN political commentator Peter Beinart claims he was “interrogated about [his] political activities” by Israeli authorities upon entering the country at a Tel Aviv airport before being released.
Beinart, a staunch critic of Israeli policy as it pertains to Palestinians and the West Bank, said in a Monday column in Forward that he was visiting Israel to attend a bat mitzvah for one of his nieces when he was detained by airport security for nearly an hour.
{mosads}Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement that the prime minister “heard of Mr. Beinart’s questioning at Ben Gurion airport and immediately spoke with Israel’s security forces to inquire how this happened. He was told it was an administrative mistake.”
“Israel is an open society which welcomes all–critics and supporters alike. Israel is the only country in the Middle East where people voice their opinions freely and robustly,” the statement adds.
Beinart responded by calling Netanyahu’s explanation a half-apology, adding that “Palestinians and Palestinian-Americans” have to “endure far worse.”
Beinart has written on numerous occasions about his opposition to Israeli settlements in the West Bank and has called for boycotting products manufactured there.