Tel Aviv NGO petitions court to bar Ilhan Omar from entering Israel

Shurat Hadin, also known as the Israel Law Center, filed a motion requiring that the Interior Minister Aryeh Deri does not allow Omar to enter the country because of her support for BDS.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) participates in a news conference outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, US, April 10, 2019 (photo credit: JIM BOURG/ REUTERS)
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) participates in a news conference outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, US, April 10, 2019
(photo credit: JIM BOURG/ REUTERS)
An Israeli NGO has asked a Jerusalem Court to bar US Representative Ilhan Omar from visiting Israel.
Shurat Hadin, also known as the Israel Law Center, filed a motion Tuesday to the city's District Court requiring that the Interior Minister Aryeh Deri does not allow Omar to enter the country because of her support for the BDS movement.
On July 17, Omar introduced a resolution in Congress, "affirming that all Americans have the right to participate in boycotts in pursuit of civil and human rights at home and abroad, as protected by the First Amendment to the [US] Constitution."
On the same day, she announced that she would travel to Israel in August, accompanied by Rep. Rashida Tlaib. Both have drawn extensive fire for controversial comments regarding Israel and several statements deemed antisemitic.
Following the announcement, the Israeli authorities that they would not prevent the trip, even though an anti-BDS law gives the government the ability to do so.
"Out of respect for the US Congress and the great alliance between Israel and America, we would not deny entry to any member of Congress into Israel," Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer said on July 19.
However, Tel Aviv-based Shurat Hadin explained that Israel should set an example for all those who fight BDS in the US and the rest of the world.
"The Israeli government is working hard to urge American students and people from across the world to fight hard against BDS and antisemitism on campuses," said the president of Shurat HaDin Nitsana Darshan-Leitner in a statement.
"In this battle, the State of Israel and its government must set an example, and stand their ground employing all the tools they have against this phenomenon. It is not for the Israeli government to let others, including young students, fight this war for them, while here in Israel they surrender because of the prestige and status of certain important BDS activists," she added.
No specific dates for Omar's trip have been disclosed yet.


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