French Palestinian detained in Israel to be released, deported to France
Citing his support of terror activities, Israeli authorities have decided to release Palestinian and French citizen Salah Hamouri from administrative detention, revoke his Jerusalem residency and expel him to France.
Israel’s Interior Ministry said today that the Jerusalem residency of French Palestinian lawyer Salah Hamouri has been revoked. The statement said the decision was made by Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked on the recommendation of the Shin Bet and with the consent of Justice Minister Gideon Sa’ar. The Foreign Ministry confirmed to Al-Monitor that Prime Minister Yair Lapid reviewed the issue a few months ago.
Hamouri has been held in administrative detention (without being charged and without a trial date) for about nine months. With his Jerusalem residency revoked, Hamouri will be deported to France tomorrow.
Shaked's statement read, "Hamouri is a terrorist operative, member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and a French citizen currently being held in administrative detention. Tomorrow he is expected to be released. With his detention ended, he will be deported soon to France."
The statement also said that from an early age, Hamouri had taken advantage of his residency in Israel to advance acts of terrorism. He was detained on several occasions and imprisoned for terror-related activity including plotting to attack late Rabbi Ovadia Yosef. A few years after his imprisonment over the Yosef incident, he was released in the framework of the 2011 Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange. Israeli security agencies, it noted, believe that Hamouri continued his dangerous activities after his release.
