The “massive flytilla” of PA supporters bu mid-afternoon Sunday has numbered a grand total of 40 activists, some of whom were arrested at Ben Gurion International Airport Sunday morning. Three of them were deported immediately.

Several Opposition Knesset Members objected to what they called “exaggerated” fears of the pro-Palestinian Authority demonstrators, but Likud Minister Yisrael Katz said, “We are going to defend the borders in every possible way.”

“These are not people who want to be interviewed or who want peace,” he added. “These are not simple people; they are people who want to harm the State of Israel.

“What if tomorrow they want to enter from the border with Jordan, Syria or Gaza? We have the right not to grant entry, just like any other state.”

The office of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu stated, ”The provocation was conceived by extremist Islamic and anti-Israel organizations that object to peace and call for Israel’s destruction.”

The tiny number of activists who managed to land at the airport was dwarfed by approximately 650 police officers who fanned out in preparation for trouble.

Airlines canceled most of the reservations made by the activists after Israel warned that they would not be allowed into the country, in which case the airline companies would have to pay for the return trip.

Unable to arrive in Israel, several demonstrators staged protests at the airport in Paris.

The planned demonstration came one day after the Passover and Easter holidays, when tens of thousands of visitors had booked return flights from Israel. No travel disruptions were reported. (IsraelNationalNews © 2012 04/15/12)