Israel hopes to expel activists within 72 hours

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli officials say they hope to expel within 72 hours the 118 foreign, pro-Palestinian activists who were jailed after being denied entry.

Interior Ministry official Sabine Hadded says the timetable will depend on airlines’ ability to fly the activists home.

The activists had tried to enter Israel over the weekend to display solidarity with the Palestinian fight for independence.

Israeli authorities had compiled a blacklist of 340 names beforehand and asked foreign airlines to block those people from landing in Tel Aviv.

Only 20 on the list arrived. But others who hadn’t been identified beforehand as potential troublemakers arrived.

Of those, 130 were detained, with eight sent home and four others granted entry after promising not to participate in violent activities.