From the Sydney Morning Herald
Former Greens MP Sylvia Hale and another Australian woman have been detained by Israeli authorities and are awaiting a court hearing to determine if they will be deported.
Ms Hale, a former member of the NSW upper house, and activist Vivienne Porzsolt flew to Tel Aviv on Tuesday to participate in the "Welcome to Palestine" initiative before being arrested, NSW Greens MP David Shoebridge told AAP.
They were detained in the early hours of Wednesday (AEST) after they tried to enter Bethlehem, a Palestinian city in the West Bank.
"Her local lawyer has obtained a stay on the deportation order and the matter will come before the district court in Tel Aviv at midday (1910 AEST), Israeli time," Mr Shoebridge said.
Travel in and out of Bethlehem is restricted while Israeli authorities construct the West Bank barrier, an eight-metre-high security wall designed to fence Israel off from Palestine.
The blockade also extends to parts of the coast.
Both Ms Porzsolt, who represents a group called Jews Against the Occupation, and Ms Hale were unharmed and being represented by the same lawyer, Iftach Cohen, Mr Shoebridge said.
The pair were detained four hours after arriving in the country as part of a "Welcome to Palestine" protest by an international organisation of activist groups. more
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