On Friday, the Israeli Police informed Hamas political leaders, Mohammad Abu Teir, Mohammad Totah, Khalid Abu Arafa, and Ahmad Attoun, all from Jerusalem, that the High Court ordered their expulsion from the city by the end of this month. The police confiscated the Jerusalem Identity cards of the four officials, and said that they must be out of Jerusalem by the end of June.
The court allowed the expulsion under the pretext that the four political leaders conducted acts that endangered Israel’s security.
It is worth mentioning that Abu Teir, an elected member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, was kidnapped by the Israeli army along with dozens of elected officials, ministers and legislators after the resistance captured the Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit in June 2006.
Abu Teir was released from detention this May and the Israeli authorities announced that he will be deported within two months.
Deportation and forced expulsion of citizens violate the basic principles of human rights, the International Law and the Fourth Geneva Conventions.
