Anti-Gaza-withdrawal official banned from U.S.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has refused to allow Cabinet Minister Uzi Landau to travel to the United States for a speaking tour against Sharon’s plan to unilaterally withdraw from the Gaza Strip, WorldNetDaily has learned.

Laudau, who is opposed to the withdrawal, was scheduled to speak at various Jewish communities in the U.S. last week, but his trip was canceled at the last minute after the prime minister’s office refused to allow him to travel abroad.

“This is a major blow to the cherished principle of freedom,” said Morton Klein, president of the Zionist Organization of America. “Every public official has a moral obligation to express his point of view. Jews around the world have a right to hear all sides of the argument. Barring Landau strikes a blow at free speech and deprives Diaspora Jews the opportunity to be fully informed about the issues at stake.”

Landau would not speak on the record, but a government spokesperson confirmed the minister was being held back from his U.S. speaking engagements.

“In Israel, the prime minister is entitled to allow or not allow a member of his government to travel abroad,” said the spokesperson.

Klein challenged other Jewish organizations to decry Sharon’s actions: “We assume that liberal Jewish organizations and civil-rights group, which, in the name of free speech, championed the right of Israeli doves to voice their disagreements with nationalist Israeli governments, will now likewise support Minister Landau’s right to free speech.”

The Zionist Organization of America invited Landau to keynote its annual New York City dinner in December, but now, says Klein, “I just don’t know if he’s going to be allowed to show up.”

Also yesterday, Sharon was criticized by both the Israeli right and left after warning in the media that settlers were trying to trigger a civil war over the disengagement plan by making threats against soldiers, the Temple Mount and the prime minister’s life.

National Religious Party leader Effi Eitam said Sharon was using “incitement” to marginalize wide sectors of the population and increase rifts in society.

“Sharon knows that the leadership of the struggle against the disengagement plan opposes all kinds of violence, refusing military commands and breaking the law,” he said.

And Yahad Minister Ran Cohen also criticized Sharon, saying the “days of warlike declarations are over.” He called on Sharon to make “operative steps” instead.

Settler leaders have also accused Sharon of contriving reports of settler violence and extremism to discredit the settlement movement and foment domestic and international opposition to the settlers ahead of Sharon’s Gaza withdrawal plan in 2005.

“We have said continually that any protests we are planning will be entirely peaceful,” a settler leader told WorldNetDaily.

Related stories:

Gaza withdrawal a reward for terror?

Sharon to vacate more settlements?

IDF reticent to participate in Gaza withdrawal

Sharon creating anti-settler unit?