A Swedish activist has obtained Palestinian citizenship

RAMALLAH

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas on Friday granted Palestinian citizenship to Swedish activist Benjamin Ladraa, who was traveling from Sweden to Palestine to raise public awareness of human rights violations [19659003] "This measure is taken to appreciate Ladraa's efforts and his position to support the Palestinian people," Abbas said, according to a report from the Wafa agency

Ladraa was prevented by the Israeli police from entering Palestine earlier in the day. In a brief statement, Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said the ban reflected Israel's policy of isolation for the Palestinian people, its injustice and its pressure on the Palestinians [19659007]. Almost a year ago, he left Sweden to travel to Palestine to raise awareness of human rights violations in the occupied territory.

After arriving at the Israeli border from Jordan, he was blocked by Israeli authorities from entering Palestine and detained for six hours.

Ladraa began her journey from Sweden last August and traveled to Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Lebanon and the Jordan