Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Israel deports Palestinian activist to France despite Paris objections

Israel deports Palestinian activist to France despite Paris objections

Human rights lawyer Salah Hammouri was accused by Israel of having links to a banned militant group and plotting terror attacks, but his supporters argue it is "ethnic cleansing" and the expulsion sets a dangerous precedent for other Palestinians.
Israel has deported a Jerusalem-born Palestinian activist to France, despite objections by Paris.

Human rights lawyer Salah Hammouri was accused by Israel of having links to a banned militant group and plotting terror attacks.

But his supporters have accused Israel of "ethnic cleansing" and argue his expulsion sets a dangerous precedent for other Palestinians in the east of the city, where most hold residency rights but are not Israeli citizens.

The move also sets up a possible diplomatic spat with France, which had repeatedly appealed to Israel not to carry out the deportation with the foreign ministry insisting "he must be able to exercise all his rights and lead a normal life in Jerusalem, his city of birth and residence".

Mr Hammouri, 37, a Jerusalem resident who holds French citizenship, had his residency status revoked on 1 December on charges he was active in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, classified by Israel and its Western allies as a terror group.

Israel's interior minister Ayelet Shaked said: "I'm happy to announce that justice was served today and the terrorist Salah Hammouri was deported from Israel."

The interior ministry added in a statement: "During his life he organised, inspired and planned to commit terror attacks on his own and for the organization against citizens and well-known Israelis."

However, the campaign backing Mr Hammouri said: "Such a move constitutes a war crime under international humanitarian law of forcible deportation of a civilian from occupied territories."

It added: "Israel's ethnic cleansing has in its crosshairs the city of Jerusalem, Salah's hometown, and Israel's expulsion of him is a dangerous precedent for all Palestinians in the city."

Mr Hammouri was previously detained by Israel between 2005 and 2011 after being accused of attempting to kill a prominent rabbi, but has always maintained his innocence.

Prisoner swap

Mr Hammouri was subsequently freed in a prisoner swap with the Hamas militant group.

He was most recently detained by Israel under administrative detention without charge in March.

His deportation was ordered when his detention order expired.

Israel's Supreme Court had rejected an appeal against the decision to revoke Mr Hammouri's residency status.

Last year, he was among six human rights activists whose mobile phones were found by independent security researchers to have been infected with spyware made by the Israeli company NSO Group.

Israel captured east Jerusalem, home to the city's most important religious sites, in the 1967 war and annexed the area.

It considers the entire city to be its capital, while the Palestinians claim east Jerusalem as the capital of a future state.

Residency rights can be stripped

While Jews in the city are entitled to automatic citizenship, Palestinians are granted residency status.

This allows them freedom of movement, the ability to work and access to services, but they are not allowed to vote in national elections.

Residency rights can be stripped if a Palestinian is found to live outside the city for an extended period or in certain security cases.

Palestinians can apply for citizenship, but few do, not wanting to be seen as accepting what they see as an occupation.

Those who do apply face a lengthy and bureaucratic process.

Jessica Montell, executive director of the Israeli human rights group HaMoked which represents Mr Hammouri, said other Jerusalem residents had been charged with breach of allegiance and had their residency revoked in the past, but could not be deported as they hold no other citizenship.

"Because he holds a second nationality, that makes him more vulnerable to deportation," said Ms Montell, adding that she expects similar cases will emerge more frequently with a new right-wing coalition expected to form Israel's next government.
#NSO 
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
×