Human Rights Watch Files Lawsuit After Its Israel And Palestine Director Is Ordered To Leave
The Israel and Palestine Director for Human Rights Watch, Omar Shakir, was allegedly ordered earlier this month to leave the country on account of his politics. Israeli authorities allegedly believe that he has expressed support for a boycott of Israel and Shakir is the first representative with the organization that has been ordered by authorities to leave the country.
Shakir has said that he doesn't support the boycott (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement and he alleges that Israel is looking to silence his work that has been shining a light on human rights violations in the region.
The lawsuit has been filed against the Israeli government after the Interior Ministry made the move to revoke his work permit. Individuals have been denied entry to Israel in the past over their alleged political leanings, but this incident with Shakir in which he currently lives and works in the nation is said to be the first of its kind. He has had his residency permit terminated.
Those behind the lawsuit are looking to argue that this move to kick Shakir out of the country is essentially a move to silence dissent. They have suggested that what might be driving this move is the preference of the government to silence any critical voices of its current policies.
Shouldn't those living and working in the country be free to voice their concerns and thoughts about current policies, in a peaceful manner, without fearing any threat of violence in-return? If they can't, what does that say about the police state that they live in?
In the lawsuit, they also claim that the government is improperly enforcing its anti-boycott law, suggesting that it shouldn't apply to those who are already residing in the country and who have a valid permit or visa to be there. They are looking to have the deportation delayed until after the legal proceedings have concluded.
According to one Israeli human rights attorney, Emily Schaeffer Omer-Man, the Human Rights Watch organization has encouraged businesses and states to try and refrain from engaging with direct violations of international law and they argue that this shouldn't meet the test of what might be considered a legitimate boycott.
There are dozens of organizations that have been banned from entering Israel on account of their alleged support for the BDS movement which calls for a academic, cultural, and consumer boycott of the country. The organizations that have been banned include groups like Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Jewish Voice for Peace, Code Pink, National Students for Justice in Palestine, and many others.
Pics:
Pixabay
Sources:
http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/Human-Rights-Watch-mounts-first-legal-case-against-Israeli-boycott-ban-1610384880
https://972mag.com/human-rights-watch-sues-israel-in-first-challenge-to-anti-boycott-travel-ban/135491/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/human-rights-watch-sues-to-block-activists-expulsion-from-israel/
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/246105
http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/xxx-1740713235
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2018/01/07/18-groups-that-advocate-boycotting-israel-will-now-be-denied-entry/?utm_term=.99253e724abf
thanks to write politics articles
When I had a Pakistani passport ages ago, it is written in there that we are not allowed to enter Israel or we cannot go back into our own country . Politics bullshit ?
When the passport was made, Pakistan didn't recognise Israel as a nation and instead supported the Palestinian movement, this could be one of the reasons. Also another reason was, this a bizarre one, is that Pakistan may fear people going to Israel getting captured and sent back to Pakistan to carry out terror missions. Completely bizarre, but could be true.
the Jerusalem embassy opening was a disaster, the region is about to boil down in chaos, the recent days crisis are an indicator of what is to come
Hope the long-standing dispute between Israel and Palestine come to an end ...
Very eager to see peace happen in the Middle East, especially between Israel and Palestine...
Israel And Palestine please stop killing
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STOPHow incredible the amount of repressive governments, which are still in the world, every time I read these things, I feel a great disappointment. The people who only see their interests will always exist, but they tell me about the population, because they accept them, because they do not fight to get something better. Many times the same citizens are those who allow this type of acts. And thanks to some is that they achieve, free themselves from repressive governments. I hope and trust that this place can get something better and that they have freedom, to decide on the policy they wish to have.
We human beings are very easy to manipulate, especially the uneducated and uninformed population because it is easier for them to work their brains, it is easier for them to buy their consciences with crumbs. And these repressive governments, they know exactly what the game is... When will we wake up? When are we gonna stop being lazy in a country of the uncivilized...?