Anadolu Agency journalist faces expulsion from W. Bank

By Mustafa Deveci and Esat Firat

JERUSALEM (AA) – The Israeli authorities are seeking to expel Mustafa Kharouf, a Palestinian photo-journalist for Anadolu Agency, from the occupied West Bank, citing alleged “security concerns”.

For the last four weeks, Kharouf, 32, who has lived in the West Bank for the last two decades, has been held at Israel’s Givon Prison.

He has resisted attempts by the Israeli authorities to force him into signing documents that would facilitate his expulsion to neighboring Jordan.

Rights activists recently launched a social media campaign -- with the hashtag #Mustafa_must_stay -- to drum up support for the embattled journalist.

For the last 20 years, the Israeli authorities have consistently refused to grant Kharouf a long-term residency permit, forcing him to obtain fresh tourist visas each year.

Adi Lustigman, Kharouf’s lawyer, told Anadolu Agency that his client had lived in the West Bank since he was 12 years old.

Nor, the lawyer added, is Kharouf a citizen of any other country.

“This is unacceptable anywhere in the world,” Lustigman said. “But unfortunately, many Palestinian families in the West Bank face similar problems.”

According to Israel’s Internal Affairs Ministry, 14,630 Palestinians have had their residency permits rescinded in recent years.

In 1967, Israel occupied the West Bank, which international law still regards as “occupied territory”.