15 Israeli groups slam expulsion order of Human Rights Watch director

Fifteen Israeli human rights organisations have denounced their government's decision to deport the local director of Human Rights Watch.

The groups released a joint statement on Wednesday, saying that such actions put Israel "squarely on a list of disreputable states."

"Neither closing the borders to human rights groups and activists nor other Israeli measures against organizations critical of the occupation will deter us, or them, from reporting human rights violations in areas under Israeli control," it said.

"Israel is trying to keep both its own citizens and the world from seeing what it is doing," it added.

A day earlier, Israel announced that Omar Shakir, a US citizen, had two weeks to leave the country, alleging he had supported boycotts against Israel.

Shakir is the Israel/Palestine director of Human Rights Watch.

HRW has said neither it nor Shakir supports boycotts and that it would challenge the decision in an Israeli court.

Israeli officials have recently clamped down on groups seen as supporting the global campaign to pressure Tel Aviv to end its occupation of the Palestinian territories.

A new law was introduced by Israel in March 2017, barring access to the country for individuals and groups who have previously expressed support of the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement.

This includes those who want to enter the Palestinian territories, as they must also pass through Israeli border controls.

The BDS movement is seen by many activists as one of the few remaining avenues of effective non-violent resistance to the brutal and persistent Israeli occupation.