Palestine FM condemns expulsion of human rights lawyer from al-Quds

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates made the remark after Israeli officials announced on Sunday the expulsion of Salah Hamouri, citing "breach of allegiance" to Israel as justification for his deportation. He had been arrested on March 7 at his home in the Kufr Aqab neighborhood in occupied East al-Quds.

"This outrageous step committed by the illegal occupation is a war crime that is added to its long list of crimes committed against Palestinian people," the ministry was quoted by the official Wafa news agency as saying later on Sunday.

The Israeli regime deported Salah Hamouri to France. Earlier in October 2021, Israeli authorities had revoked Hamouri's East al-Quds residency, denying him the right to live in his hometown, which Israel captured in 1967.

He was accused by the regime of being active in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which the human rights campaigner denies having any ties with.

"Israel’s criminal displacement of Salah under the disguise of the so-called 'breach of allegiance', which is used to effectuate the forcible displacement of Palestinian people, sets a dangerous precedent. It is a continuation of the Israel’s entrenched criminal policy of forcible displacement that started 75 years ago," the ministry said in its statement.

It added, "Salah and all other Palestinian citizens owe no allegiance to Israel... They are entitled to protection not displacement."

The ministry further noted that Salah’s forcible displacement "is part and parcel of Israeli colonial apartheid regime that is bent on forcible displacement of Palestinian people to replace them with illegal Jewish settlers."

It also called on the international community "to hold Israel accountable for its ongoing crimes, including Salah’s forcible displacement."

"We call on the United Nations Security Council to fulfill its obligations and put an end to Israel’s continuous war crimes. It is also high time for the ICC (International Criminal Court) to hold those responsible for the widespread and systematic policy of forcible displacement of Palestinian people, including Salah, accountable for their crimes," it said.

Earlier on Sunday, the French Foreign Ministry had also condemned Israel's decision to expel Hamouri, saying Paris had taken numerous steps to express its opposition to the move, which it said was "against the law."

"We condemn today the Israeli authorities' decision, against the law, to expel Salah Hamouri to France," the ministry added.

It noted that Paris was "fully mobilized, including at the highest level of the state,” to enable Hamouri to defend his rights, benefit from all possible assistance and lead a normal life in his native city of the occupied al-Quds.

Following his arrest in March, during which Israeli forces entered his bedroom and grabbed him from his bed while he was still sleeping, Hamouri was held in jail under Israel's so-called policy of "administrative detention."

The 37-year old rights lawyer had been on strike against his detention without charge or trial since September 25, along with 29 other administrative detainees.

The Palestinian lawyer arrived in Paris Sunday morning, where he was welcomed by his wife Elsa Lefor, politicians, representatives of rights groups and supporters at the Charles de Gaulle airport.