Squeaky Wheel Gets the Grease

Chicago, IL, March 29—After months of extended delays and an international public pressure campaign, the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem has granted Omar Barghouti a visa to visit the United States. A founding member of the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI), and outspoken critic of Israeli policy, Barghouti was told repeatedly over the course of 4 months that his visa was subject to ongoing “administrative process,” without further explanation. Barghouti was previously granted U.S. visas without incident and has traveled throughout the country extensively.

As a result of the delays, Barghouti’s tour in support of his new book Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions was placed on hold. In the wake of a successful campaign to pressure the granting of Barghouti’s visa, however, supporters have redoubled their efforts in order to host events as planned. Between April 9-15th, Barghouti will visitNew York University, Columbia University, Princeton University, Rutgers University, Brown University, Brandeis Univeristy, Harvard University, Hampshire College, and Washington, DC.

Haymarket Books Editor Anthony Arnove stated, “It is regrettable that Haymarket Books and various free speech advocates and human rights groups had to mount a campaign to allow Omar Barghouti to  enter the United States to speak and discuss his work, but it is proof that protest works and that solidarity matters. We are very thankful to all of the supporters whose emails, calls, and organizing efforts ensured that Barghouti could be heard in the U.S. We are thrilled he is coming.”