03 May 2018•Update: 04 May 2018
JERUSALEM
The Israeli authorities have deported two American rights activists back to the U.S. after accusing them of taking part in the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, local media reported Thursday.
According to Israeli daily Haaretz, the pair -- Katherine Franke and Vincent Warren -- was detained for 14 hours on Sunday at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport before being compulsorily sent back to the U.S.
Israeli authorities accused the activists, both of whom work as human rights lawyers, of taking part in the BDS campaign, which aims to end international support for Israel’s oppressive policies vis-à-vis the Palestinians.
“Israeli security officials allegedly accused Franke of lying about her affiliation with a Jewish group that advocates for boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israel, while Warren was also barred from entering the country,” Haaretz reported.
According to the newspaper, Franke and Warren -- who have denied the allegations against them -- had arrived in Israel with 15 other activists with whom they had planned to tour Israel and the occupied West Bank.
The BDS movement is a global campaign devoted to pressuring Israel -- economically and politically -- to end its ongoing violations of international law.
