Exiled Palestinian rights defender Salah Hammouri says will continue justice fight from France

Palestinian rights activist Salah Hammouri announced on Saturday that he will continue his fight for justice from exile in France, after his forced expulsion by Israel from Jerusalem last year.

Hammouri was detained by Israel, had his residency revoked, and was deported from his home city of Jerusalem on 18 December in a move denounced as a "war crime" by the UN and rights groups.

Speaking from France, where he has lived in exile ever since, Hammouri said he will continue to campaign for the rights of Jerusalemites.

"I will not let go of the path of resistance for the just cause that unites us all Palestinians and has me and every Jerusalemite who is under the threat of having their ID revoked in the same boat," he said on the JusticeforSalah Twitter page.

I will not let go of the path of resistance for the just cause that unites us all Palestinians and has me and every Jerusalemite who is under the threat of having their ID revoked in the same boat.#justiceforsalah#Iwillreturn pic.twitter.com/BU5AyrWcPP

— JusticeforSalah (@JusticeforSalah) March 11, 2023

In a video updating supporters about his rights work, Hammouri said his social justice work will continue from France.

"The feeling of being uprooted from my homeland is extremely difficult, it is very hard for me... [not to be in] Jerusalem," he said.

"However I have decided that being in France is a mere change of location and that the struggle will continue and the resistance will continue."

Since Hammouri's forced removal from Jerusalem, Israel has broadened the law on revoking citizenships or residencies to now include anyone who receives funding from the Palestinian Authority for "terrorist activities".

The PA gives stipends to the families of Palestinian prisoners and detainees in Israeli jails but now they face being uprooted from their homes by Israel due to the essential financial support they receive, a trend Hamouri said he will fight for.

"The JusticeforSalah campaign portrays my story and my struggle, however, it is dedicated to all Jerusalemites... to raising the voices of all Jerusalemites," he said.

"I hope we continue together, and that we remain, so we continue on our path to achieve justice for our people and to fulfil our historic goals."

Hammouri was accused by Israel of being a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine [PFLP], links he denies, and has been detained for eight years in Israeli jails.

He was denied access to his family, who was denied entry to Israeli-occupied Jerusalem and held again under administrative detention until being expelled to France.