BIL'IN, West Bank: The Shin Bet prevented Mohammed Khatib of the Bil'in Popular Committee to cross the Allenby Bridge on his way to Spain today. Khatib was band despite having a permit to leave the country from the Military court. Mohammed Khatib, a prominent member of the Bil'in Popular Committee, arrived at the Israeli-controlled Allenby Bridge between the West Bank and Jordan today, in order to fly to Spain from the Amman airport. He is scheduled to attend a number of meetings and has a few planned speaking engagements. At the crossing, Khatib was told he is not allowed to travel for “security reasons” and to “go back home”. Knowing that there is no security-driven cause to deny his right to travel, he refused to turn back, saying “If I am a security threat, arrest me now, otherwise, let me pass”. Currently, he is still waiting at the crossing, refusing to evacuate. Khatib is currently standing trial on charges of incitement and organizing demonstrations for his involvement in the successful campaign against the construction of Israel's wall on Bil'in's lands. The indictment against him, and many others like him, is part of a politically-motivated legal persecution campaign to quash the Palestinian Popular Struggle. Initially he was also accused of stone-throwing, but the charge was dropped after it was proven in court that the prosecution used falsified evidence. The defense was able to prove that he was abroad at the time he was allegedly pictured throwing stones at soldiers in Bil'in. Adv Gaby Lasky, Khatib's lawyer said that “It is not security, but rather politically-motivated vengeance that is behind Mohammed Khatib's tavel-ban. No one in his right mind believes that his trip to Spain could endanger anyone, but the Shin Bet wants to threaten and hurt organizers of legitimate protest.” PSCC
