Nandino Capovilla, a 63-year-old Italian priest, was denied entry to Israel upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, citing “public security concerns,” Italian daily Corriere della Sera reported Tuesday. Capovilla, who traveled to participate in a “Campaign for Justice and Peace,” was handed a document explaining the decision but refused to sign it.
The priest, from the Marghera area near Venice, has been a longtime member of Pax Christi, a Christian peace organization, and intended to join a “Justice Pilgrimage to the Holy Land” led by Archbishop Giovanni Ricchiuti, president of the Italian branch of Pax Christi.
Capovilla was detained for seven hours in what his colleagues described to Corriere della Sera as a “prison-like cell” managed by Israeli authorities near the airport. In a message to friends, he wrote, “After seven hours of detention, I’m free! They returned my phone and suitcase; everything is fine. They say I can fly to Greece tonight.”
He was informed that any future visit to Israel would require prior application. The incident has sparked speculation among his peers, with Archbishop Ricchiuti suggesting to the newspaper, “We don’t know the exact reason, but we think it’s because of the book he wrote.”
Capovilla, a former national coordinator for Pax Christi, has long been involved in campaigns promoting human rights, interfaith dialogue and nonviolence. Five years ago, he presented Pope Francis with a pin reading “Open Ports,” symbolizing support for migrants. More recently, he has publicly condemned what he calls the “genocide of the Palestinian people.” His book compiles stories of life in Gaza, reading, “Under the skies of Gaza and all of Palestine, people survive a massacre that must be urgently told before human reason unravels.” The book has drawn attention for its critical stance on the situation in the region.
Pax Christi’s pilgrimage aimed to visit Jerusalem, Bethlehem and the West Bank as part of its justice and peace campaign. Corriere della Sera noted that the organization had recently criticized Israel’s plans for a military operation in Gaza.
Archbishop Ricchiuti expressed frustration, telling the newspaper, “We’ve appealed to the world, but sadly, nothing has been done. We are here, from Rome and Venice, on a pilgrimage for justice and peace.” The denial of Capovilla’s entry has raised questions about Israel’s handling of activists critical of its policies, casting a shadow over the group’s mission.