Israel Deports 11 Foreign Nationals Over Hebron Military Zone Breach

Eleven foreign nationals who were in Israel on tourist visas have been deported over the weekend after being detained by security forces near Hebron on suspicion of violating a closed military zone order and disrupting IDF soldiers.

According to the Population and Immigration Authority, the tourists refused to identify themselves to the forces and violated the conditions of their stay permit in Israel. The incident took place on Thursday in the Hebron area when the activists were present in an agricultural area declared a closed military zone where olive harvesting activities were not coordinated.

Police officers from the Hebron station detained the eleven foreign nationals and a Palestinian citizen, transferring them for questioning on suspicion of violating the closed military zone order and obstructing a soldier in the line of duty. Following their detention, the eleven foreign nationals were handed over to the Enforcement and Foreigners Administration at the Population and Immigration Authority.

Each of them underwent a hearing prior to their deportation from Israel, and upon completion of the legal procedure, they were flown to various destinations. The deportees are citizens of seven countries: the United States, Hungary, Italy, Austria, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Ireland.

The Population and Immigration Authority stated that it will continue to take action against foreign nationals who abuse their tourist visas for purposes other than tourism, thereby violating the terms of their residence in Israel. Meanwhile, two IDF soldiers were killed in a shooting attack near the Yehuda Junction in the Hebron area, with three others injured.