Omar Shakir-HRW director for Israel and Palestine

Henriette Chacar writes in +972, “Israel’s Supreme Court upheld the deportation of the Israel and Palestine Director of Human Rights Watch Omar Shakir on Tuesday after a lengthy legal battle to allow him to remain in the country. Justices Neal Hendel, Noam Sohlberg, and Yael Willner accepted the state’s claim that Shakir, a U.S. citizen, supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, rejecting Shakir and Human Rights Watch’s appeal against his expulsion. Shakir says he will now have 20 days to leave or face deportation.”

“Shakir’s case has been described as a watershed moment for free speech and human rights advocacy in Israel. By ordering his deportation, Israel joins countries like North Korea, Iran, Cuba and Venezuela, which have also blocked access to the organization’s staff members.”

“The ruling is based on the 2017 amendment to the Prevention of Entry into Israel Law, which authorizes the the interior minister to withhold temporary visas or residency to any non-Israeli citizen who has publicly called for or pledged to participate in a boycott of Israel. In August, Israel relied on the law to prevent Congresswomen Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib from entering the country.”  (more…)

Israel’s Decision To Deport Human Rights Defender Will Further Alienate American Jews