Palestinian Facing US Deportation Fears Settler Violence in West Bank

A Palestinian man facing deportation from the United States is seeking to halt the process in court, arguing that he fears settler violence if returned to the West Bank. Tarek Zakarna, 44, who has lived in the U.S. for 13 years, was arrested over two years ago after a court ruled his marriage to a U.S. citizen was not in good faith. His deportation is scheduled for Wednesday.

Zakarna's legal team contends that upon arrival in the West Bank, he will inevitably be under the control of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and could face torture and harassment. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has stated that Zakarna will not be transferred to Israeli custody, as the U.S. has permission to transfer him directly to the West Bank.

Zakarna's lawyers are attempting to leverage U.S. laws that prohibit deporting individuals to countries where they face a credible threat of torture. They argue that the potential for settler violence constitutes such a threat. The court has yet to rule on his request to block the deportation.