An American BDS activist refused entry to Israel has chosen to stay and fight the ban in court, an Israeli official said on Tuesday.
Immigration Authority spokeswoman Sabine Haddad told French news agency AFP Tuesday that Lara Alqasem, a university student, was being held at an immigration facility but was not under arrest.
"She can fly back to the United States whenever she likes," Haddad said. "She decided to appeal and is being held in the facility for those who are refused entry. She is not under arrest; she is refused entry."
The appeal will be heard in the Tel Aviv District Court although there is still no date for the hearing.
Judge Kobi Vardi, meanwhile, ruled that Alqasem was free to have the Tel Aviv hearing held in absentia.
Alqasem arrived at Ben-Gurion International Airport from Florida a week ago and was denied entry when her name came up in a Strategic Affairs Ministry database of anti-Israel activists. She was arrested and has been in detention since then.
Her case has garnered the attention of radical left-wing groups, who have accused Israel of denying her entry because of her Arab surname.
One of those to come to Alqasem's defense was Zionist Union MK Merav Michaeli, who said the incident "exposes the unbearable ease of the deportation, defamation and incitement law, but also the stupidity of the boycott law itself."
Michaeli was referring to the Knesset's approval in May 2017 of a controversial law denying visas and residency permits to people who support boycotting Israel.
Alqasem joined the anti-Israel BDS group Students for Justice in Palestine in 2014 and was the group's president in 2016-2017, while a student at the University of Florida.
In an initial hearing, the court sided with the state, ruling that Alqasem should be denied entry to Israel. The court also took into account the fact that Alqasem lied about her anti-Israel activities when questioned at the airport and removed anti-Israel content from her social media profiles in an effort to conceal her BDS support.
Alqasem had received a student visa to attend the Hebrew University of Jerusalem from the Israeli Consulate in Miami. She did this by concealing her involvement in an event promoting a boycott of Sabra Hummus in which participants accused Israel of the "ethnic cleansing" of Palestinians.
While Alqasem later admitted to serving as SJP president while she was at the University of Florida, she claimed the organization was not active during her tenure.
Judge Dotan Bergman did not find her claim convincing, writing in his ruling, "Although she tried to dwarf the [SJP] organization and her role in the organization, it has been proved that Alqasem previously served in senior positions in the organization and that during her term, the organization called for a boycott of the State of Israel."
The Hebrew University has petitioned the Tel Aviv District Court to join Alqasem's appeal against deportation.
"This student wants to come here and study at the Hebrew University for one year," university president, Professor Asher Cohen, told Army Radio on Tuesday, arguing that her treatment was actually strengthening the BDS campaign.
"There is a difference of opinion with the state on the interpretation of the law. In our opinion in this instance the law does not apply to this student," he said. "It is for the court to decide."
Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan on Tuesday floated a possible compromise, saying in a radio interview that he would rethink his decision to expel Alqasem if she apologizes and renounces her support for BDS.
"If Lara Alqasem will tomorrow in her own voice, not through all kinds of lawyers or statements that can be misconstrued, say that support for BDS is not legitimate and she regrets what she did, we will certainly reconsider our position," he said.
