American Professor Norman Finkelstein, who recently met with Hizballah leaders in Lebanon and has condemned Israel for occupying Arab lands, was denied entry into Israel on Friday for security reasons.
After arriving in Israel from Europe, the authorities detained Finkelstein and interrogated him throughout the night before deciding to deport him out of the country. The decision was connected to Finkelstein’s outspoken anti-Zionist opinions and for his harsh criticisms of Israel.
Finkelstein reportedly said that Israel uses the Holocaust as an excuse for the fight against anti-Semitism and has deceived Germany into making reparation payments. He has also mocked Holocaust survivor and scholar Eli Wiesel, calling him a “clown prince.”
Finkelstein, who was planning on visiting a personal friend in Israel, is the son of Holocaust survivors.