STOCKHOLM & RAMALLAH: Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas granted Palestinian citizenship last Friday to Swedish activist Benjamin Ladraa, who has been walking from Sweden to Palestine to raise awareness on human rights violations.
"This step is taken to appreciate Ladraa’s efforts and his position to support the Palestinian people," Abbas said according to a report by the official Wafa news agency.
Ladraa was barred by Israeli police from entering Palestine earlier in the day.
Palestinian resistance group Hamas condemned the move.
In a brief statement, Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said the ban reflects Israel’s isolation policy for the Palestinian people and its unfairness and pressure on people in Palestine.
The 25-year-old began his walk to Palestine from Sweden nearly a year ago to raise awareness on human rights abuse in the occupied territory.
After arriving at the Israeli border from Jordan, he was barred by Israeli authorities from entering Palestine and kept in custody for six hours.
Ladraa started his journey from Sweden last August and trekked across Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan.
After arriving at the Israeli border from Jordan, he was barred from entering Palestine and kept in custody for six hours, Ladraa had told Anadolu Agency after he returned to the Jordanian capital Amman.
"They only gave two reasons for denying me entry, one was that they thought I was lying during the interrogation and the other was that they thought I would go to Nabi Saleh and hold a demonstration," Ladraa said.
He said he would continue his struggle until Palestinians get their freedom.
"I set off 11 months ago from Gothenburg and traveled on foot. I crossed many countries until I reach to the border of Palestine and walked about 5,000 kilometers. I will not give up my struggle until Palestine is freed," Ladraa said, adding that he would return to Sweden by plane and embark on another journey.
"Now ask yourself why the Israeli state fears one Swedish man so much that they didn’t allow him to enter the country they are occupying. This is the power of activism," Ladraa posted on his Facebook account .
