Israeli top court freezes deportation of HRW director

JERUSALEM (AA) - An Israeli court on Monday froze a lower court order on the deportation of Human Rights Watch (HRW)’s Jerusalem-based director for Israel/Palestine.

The Supreme Court issued a ruling allowing Omar Shakir to remain in the country while he fights the deportation order.

In April, a Jerusalem district court gave Shakir until May 1 to leave Israel after it rejected his appeal to remain in the country, citing his support for international calls to boycott Israel.

In May of last year, Israeli Interior Minister Aryeh Deri revoked Shakir’s work visa and order him to leave the country.

The move was the first of its kind since HRW began monitoring events in Israel and Palestine three decades ago.

Wednesday’s court ruling comes in response to a lawsuit filed earlier by HRW challenging the constitutionality of a 2017 law that bars anyone advocating for the boycott of Israel -- or of Israeli settlements -- from entering the country.

Shakir -- a citizen of the United States -- has worked as HRW’s Israel/Palestine director since late 2016.