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Israeli Supreme Court Upholds Deportation of Human Rights Watch Official

Omar Shakir, director of the Israel and Palestine office of Human Rights Watch, lost an appeal in Israel’s Supreme Court on Tuesday morning to prevent his deportation from the country. The deportation was ordered by a lower court in April after his work visa was revoked on the grounds that he allegedly voiced support for boycotts of the Jewish state, in defiance of a law that bars entry to people who publicly support the boycott of Israel or territories under its control. Shakir, a US citizen, denies currently supporting anti-Israel boycotts. Taking to Twitter, he thanked his supporters and partners in Israeli and Palestinian human rights groups, said that the court’s decision gives him 20 days to leave the country, and that Israel now joins the ranks of Iran, North Korea and Egypt in blocking access to Human Rights Watch officials.