US cancels visa for Palestinian activist after anti-settlement lawsuit

Bassem Tamimi, Palestinian activist who has led weekly popular protests in Nabi Saleh village threatened with Israeli engorgement, had his American visa revoked last week, after he and a group of activists opened lawsuit against companies supporting the Israeli army and illegal settlements.

On his Facebook page, Tamimi said that his  visa was cancelled just one day  after AlJazeera channel published an English report about him and 35 other Palestinians opening lawsuits against U.S. companies financing the construction of illegal Israeli settlements on the occupied Palestinian territories.

These companies are Las Vegas casino and some other entities.

Opened in the Federal District Court of Washington, DC, the lawsuit also names companies as Dead Sea-based cosmetics maker Ahava, industrial powerhouse Israel Chemicals Limited, as well as religious charity Christian Friends of Israeli Communities, according to the broadcaster.

However, the U.S. Consulate letter noted that Tamimi’s B1/2 visa was revoked because he did not admit to having been arrested and convicted in his application.

The 49 year old has been arrested for nine times by IOF, most of his detentions being arbitrary.
Tamimi said that repetitive detention and cancelling travel visa are all ways of Israeli occupation to silence the Palestinian voice.

Source: PNN