Ras Mubarak was not refused visa to enter Palestine – Israeli Ambassador

The Israeli Ambassador to Ghana, Ami Mehl has denied claims that the Member of Parliament for Kumbungu, Ras Mubarak, was denied visa to enter Palestine.

The lawmaker who was invited by the Palestinian authority to give a speech in Ramallah alleged that his entry permit to Palestine was cancelled at the last minute just when he was about crossing the border into Palestine.

Narrating his ordeal in a Facebook post, Mr Mubarak said: “I was invited by the Palestinian Authority to give a speech in Ramallah. Israel issues a permit for me to go into Palestine. Just when I arrive at the border, they won't allow me to enter Palestine.

“What is this rogue state afraid of? The truth? That I would witness the occupation first hand and call them out for the terrorists they are? The politics of discrimination and apartheid should have no place to thrive in the 21st century. Alas, it is happening. A state that's erroneously described as the only democracy in the Middle East treats international law and conventions with contempt, flouts them with increasing regularity and maintains a brutal military occupation while the whole world looks on. If they change their minds and allow me entry, I would say what I plan to say. If they don't, I would say it anyway. However long it takes the oppressed Palestinian people would get Justice.”

But speaking to Class News, Mr Mehl said if Mr Mubarak had been patient, he would have been able to secure a visa.

He told Benjamin Akakpo on 505 news programme on Class91.3FM on Wednesday, 11 April 2018, that Israel did not deny Mr Mubarak visa.

The Israeli Ambassador explained that usually the visa is issued in Ghana but “nobody asked us for visa for Mr Mubarak”.

He added: “Mr Mubarak came without a visa [and] he was asked to wait [but] after a while he decided that he was not going to wait anymore, he went probably to the hotel in Jordan. He was not refused a visa [and] if he was refused a visa most probably you can see refusal in his passport [and] you can check his passport, there is no refusal there.”

Mr Mehl said he is not surprised how Mr Mubarak is going about the development because “this guy is a propaganda machinery of the Palestinian authorities so we do not take him seriously”.

Mr Mubarak is an active member of the Palestine Solidarity Movement in Ghana and recently led a pro-Palestine march in Accra.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is an ongoing struggle between Israelis and Palestinians that began in the mid-20th century. The origins of the conflict can be traced back to Jewish immigration and sectarian conflict in Mandatory Palestine between Jews and Arabs.

It has been referred to as the world's "most intractable conflict". Despite a long-term peace process and the general reconciliation of Israel with Egypt and Jordan, Israelis and Palestinians have failed to reach a final peace agreement.

The key issues are: mutual recognition, borders, security, water rights, control of Jerusalem, Israeli settlements, Palestinian freedom of movement and Palestinian right of return.