RAMALLAH, July 6, 2018 (WAFA) – Israeli authorities Friday morning denied a Swedish solidarity activist access to the West Bank.

Israeli authorities interrogated Benjamin Ladraa for six hours as he attempted to cross Allenby Bridge border crossing, on Palestine-Jordan border, denying him entry to the West Bank.

Ladraa announced on his Facebook page: “The Israelis didn‘t allow me to enter Palestine. I was interrogated for about six hours before they told me I was denied entry.”

“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 make a demonstration (which they just assumed),” he added.

On August 5, 2017, Ladraa, 26, had started a 4,800-kilometer trek from Sweden’s Gothenburg to Palestine to raise awareness for the Palestinian cause and to mark the centennial of the Balfour Declaration.

He went on his long walk to Palestine through 15 countries, including Germany, Austria, Slovenia, and Turkey, making the entire journey with a Palestinian flag on his back.

In a video he had released before the start of his trek, Ladraa explained his motivation for making his journey on foot.

“This walk will shine a light and bring attention to the situation, and hopefully inspire more people to do something about the occupation.”

K.F/M.N