mo4ch:>‘Chilling message to all critics’: HRW slams Israel’s decision to deport its regional director | Mo4ch News - Mo4ch News

Breaking

Wednesday, April 17, 2019

mo4ch:>‘Chilling message to all critics’: HRW slams Israel’s decision to deport its regional director | Mo4ch News

An Israeli court has upheld the deportation order against the local director of Human Rights Watch, accusing him of supporting the BDS movement by condoning Airbnb’s decision to briefly take down Jewish listings in the West Bank.

Omar Shakir, a US citizen who has been working as the HRW regional director since October 2016, was ordered to leave Israel by the interior minister last year, after being accused of engaging in Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement activities.

HRW’s Israel and Palestine Director then appealed the validity of his deportation order, issued in the wake of the 2017 law that barred foreigners who publicly call a boycott of Israel from entering the country. Despite a massive outcry from Palestinians, Jerusalem district court upheld that the law applies to boycotts of all “areas under [Israel’s] control,” including the West Bank, and ordered Shakir to depart Israel by May 1.

Also on rt.com US bars BDS co-founder from boarding DC-bound plane in Israel, despite valid travel papers

​The 41-year-old director found Tuesday’s ruling over his “peaceful” activist activities “shocking” and “chilling,” condemning the Israeli legal system for having a law that prosecutes Palestinian rights activists.

Human Rights Watch said it will appeal the ruling, which was applied for the first time to someone already residing in the country. “The decision sends the chilling message that those who criticize the involvement of businesses in serious abuses in Israeli settlements risk being barred from Israel and the Israeli-occupied West Bank,” said Tom Porteous, deputy program director at Human Rights Watch.

Also on rt.com Resignations rock US civil rights institute after it strips Angela Davis of award over pro-BDS views

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!


Source : RT - Daily news

‘Chilling message to all critics’: HRW slams Israel’s decision to deport its regional director

‘Chilling message to all critics’: HRW slams Israel’s decision to deport its regional director