Israel’s Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday, November 5, 2019, to accept the previous ruling of the Jerusalem District Court not to renew the visa boycott activist and Human Rights Watch official Omar Shakir.

The Supreme Court accepted the position of Interior Minister Aryeh Deri and Minister of Strategic Affairs Gilad Erdan, in accordance with the amendment to the Entry into Israel Law, stating that Shakir’s stay in Israel should not be approved in light of his activities which include the promotion of boycotts, divestments and sanctions against the State of Israel (i.e. BDS).

Omar Shakir, who has served as director of the Israel and PA regions at Human Rights Watch since October 2016, appealed to the Supreme Court following an earlier ruling from the Jerusalem District Court (April 16, 1919) which concluded: “After examining [Omar Shakir’s] actions and statements, they have led to the conclusion that not only did he not prove that he had abandoned his calls for a boycott of Israel, but has continued to carry out his agenda as evident from his actions and statements. Since being allowed to enter the country, the justification surrounding the accusations against the petitioner regarding exploiting his stay in the country have been shown true. The petitioner continues to publicly call for a boycott against the State of Israel or parts of it, and in the same breath, requests Israel open its doors to him”.

The District Court investigated Shakir’s case under the recent guidelines set by the Supreme Court. Shakir was found to be a boycott activist who meets the criteria set in the Entry into Israel Law, and has been proven to not have forgone his boycott-promoting activities.

The ruling went on to state, “Not only was there [from Shakir] systematic support for BDS which continued after he began his work for the organization [HRW], his conduct surrounding FIFA, as well as his repeated calls for boycotting Israeli assets in the region, is based on a sweeping denial of the legitimacy of Israeli communities in Yehuda and Shomron. In this circumstance, there is no reason to intervene in the previous ruling. This is a case in which is a boycott was promoted only because of an affinity for the area [Israel] ─ as opposed to its conduct. Therefore, the Minister’s decision does not go beyond the limits of his authority.”

Minister for Strategic Affairs Gilad Erdan: “I applaud the decision of the Supreme Court that accepted my Ministry and the Interior Minister’s position that a work visa should not be given to a foreign boycott activist who wants to harm Israel and its citizens. Omar Shakir is a BDS activist who took advantage of his stay in Israel to harm it, something no sane country would allow. Israel sees great importance in the activities of real human rights organizations, granting hundreds of visas every year to human rights activists. HRW is welcome to appoint another representative in Israel place of Shakir if it chooses to do so.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)