Left wing activists and the organizers of the planned pro-Palestinian fly-in to Ben Gurion Airport thanked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Internal Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch for the extensive publicity their endeavor has been garnering in the global media.

"We should be thanking Netanyahu because without him this wouldn’t have worked," one of the fly-in organizers said Thursday. "If we would have paid thousands of shekels in PR it would not have worked our so well," he added.

The activist went on to say: "Many people abroad who I'm in contact with are very excited by Israel's overreaction. They feel they are taking a risk in taking part in the fly-in.

"They knew that when they come to Israel and explain that they meant to visit the Palestinian Authority to express solidarity with the Palestinian people they would be arrested and deported. They were worried it would all have happened on the down low with complete media silence."

Speaking to Ynet an Internal Security Ministry official made it clear that "We aren't getting excited but we are preparing for every eventuality. There are police estimations as per usual in similar events. According to intelligence estimations nothing out of the ordinary is expected. These aren't terrorists they are pro-Palestinian left wing activists."

According to the official: "As long as things are done within the framework of the law and the rules of democracy, we will allow it but we will not allow riots and disturbances. You need to remember that due to the summer season there are tens of thousands of people in the airport and we must insure that traffic isn't disturbed."

Responding to criticism of the ministry and the police department, another official said: If we weren't prepared and the worst would happen we would be heavily criticized and rightfully so."