No Israelis please, Libya tells trekkers

An interfaith convoy crossing the Sahara to promote coexistence in the Middle East was halted yesterday when Libya refused it entry because it included Israelis.

"Israel does not exist as a country, it is Palestine. We don't allow occupiers into our country," the Jerusalem Post quoted a Libyan official as telling nine members of the Breaking the Ice group as they tried to enter from Egypt.

According to the group's Web site, three Israelis - including a former combat pilot - are taking part in the trek, as well as the former body-double of one of Saddam Hussein's sons, a Palestinian student, an Iranian film maker and a New York City fire fighter.

Traveling by camel, on foot and in two 1960s-era German trucks, the group left Jerusalem on March 7 carrying an olive tree from the Israeli capital as a gesture of peace and goodwill.

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But I gotta say, that sounds like an incredibly interesting group of people to hang out with.