Zionist Regime Court Weighs Appeal by Barred U.S. Student
AL-QUDS (Dispatches) – The Zionist regime’s top court weighed an appeal on Wednesday by a U.S. student facing deportation under a law against foreign pro-Palestinian activists who call for boycotts of the regime.
Lara Alqasem, 22, flew to the occupied territories on Oct. 2 on a study visa but was refused entry by officials who cited her role as president of a small local chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine at the University of Florida.
Alqasem’s case has touched off debate in the occupied territories over whether democratic values have been compromised by a 2017 law that bars the entry of foreigners who publicly support boycotts over the regime’s policies toward the Palestinians.
Alqasem, who is of Palestinian descent, has been detained at the Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv since being denied entry to the occupied territories.
Al-Quds Hebrew University, where she was due to begin a year-long master’s program on Sunday, also urged the court to reconsider.
The three justices hearing the case said they would deliver their ruling in writing. Leora Bechor, another attorney acting for Alqasem said she was hoping for a swift verdict, possibly later in the day.
Zionist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the regime’s stance is similar to other places in the worlds. The regime has said it sees boycott movements not only as an attempt to isolate it over its occupation of territory which Palestinians seek for a state, but also as a campaign for its destruction.
Bechor said Alqasem could have opted to fly back to the United States, but had chosen to remain in airport detention to argue her case.
Lara Alqasem, 22, flew to the occupied territories on Oct. 2 on a study visa but was refused entry by officials who cited her role as president of a small local chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine at the University of Florida.
Alqasem’s case has touched off debate in the occupied territories over whether democratic values have been compromised by a 2017 law that bars the entry of foreigners who publicly support boycotts over the regime’s policies toward the Palestinians.
Alqasem, who is of Palestinian descent, has been detained at the Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv since being denied entry to the occupied territories.
Al-Quds Hebrew University, where she was due to begin a year-long master’s program on Sunday, also urged the court to reconsider.
The three justices hearing the case said they would deliver their ruling in writing. Leora Bechor, another attorney acting for Alqasem said she was hoping for a swift verdict, possibly later in the day.
Zionist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the regime’s stance is similar to other places in the worlds. The regime has said it sees boycott movements not only as an attempt to isolate it over its occupation of territory which Palestinians seek for a state, but also as a campaign for its destruction.
Bechor said Alqasem could have opted to fly back to the United States, but had chosen to remain in airport detention to argue her case.