8/3/2004: Jamie Spector and several organizations held a press conference at SFO upon her return to the Bay Area today.
7/23/04: Update about Detainees: Jamie Spector has been denied entry into Israel. She will return to California and appeal the decision from here. Ann Petter will be released on July 25th and allowed to enter Israel. Dutch teacher Christine Grefer will be told on the 25th whether or not she will be allowed to enter.
7/21/04: Update from July 21st-- no ruling in court hearing.
7/18/04: Jamie Spector is still being held by Israel, pending a July 21st court date. Jamie's report from 7/18
7/12/04: Jamie Spector, an activist and social worker from San Francisco, arrived in Israel on Sunday. She was detained for 9 hours at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, interrogated for 1 hour, denied entry into the country, and is still being held. She is one of a dozen or more human rights advocates who have been stopped from entering Israel in the last month. It is believed that she and others have been targeted for deportation because of their membership in the International Solidarity Movement. She also works with Jews for a Free Palestine and the Brass Liberation Orchestra in the Bay Area. Brooke Atherton, who is also an ISM activist from the Bay Area, was refused entry into Israel in June.

Jamie Spector was planning to take part in non-violent demonstrations with Palestinians, Israelis, and other internationals against the "Apartheid Wall", the barrier Israel is building in the occupied West Bank. She says, "Jewish people have fought for social justice, in the communities where we live and in support of others. It is to this Jewish heritage that I am most connected. As a Jewish person of conscience, I see the illegal Apartheid Wall that is being built as a modern Warsaw Ghetto. As a Jewish person, it is my responsibility to do everything I can to oppose this wall, and the unjust occupation of Palestinians." Read Jamie's full statements from July 11th and 12th. Christine Grefer, an activist from Holland was also detained this weekend, while American Ann Petter has a hearing on Thursday July 15th. Letter from Jamie, Ann, and Christine to hunger strikers in A-Ram.
More info from the ISM | Corporate Media Reports about Jamie Spector.