Arab-American Seized in Israel, Told to Leave

Police arrested an Arab-American leader of the Palestinian civil disobedience movement and ordered him deported, Israeli officials said today. A government spokesman accused him of advocating violence.

The United States asked Israel to delay the deportation of Mubarak Awad, who was arrested at his Jerusalem home at midnight, while U.S. Ambassador Thomas Pickering met with Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and asked Israel to reconsider the order, Israel television reported.

In 1985 Awad established the Center for Non-Violent Studies in Jerusalem, which calls on Palestinians peacefully to resist the Israeli occupation of Arab lands captured during the 1967 Middle East War.

Leaders of the 5-month-old Palestinian uprising have adopted many elements of Awad’s nonviolence strategy. Awad also provided tours and information to foreign journalists covering the unrest.

Avi Pazner, spokesman for Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir, said Awad was ordered deported because he went beyond calls for nonviolent protest and was responsible for leaflets urging Palestinians to throw gasoline bombs and stones.

‘Preaching Violence’

“This is preaching violence,” Pazner said, adding that Awad had also called for a Palestinian state that would include all of Israel.

Awad said today he supports the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel, his lawyer, Jonathan Kuttab, told the Associated Press. Kuttab met Awad today in jail and is preparing an appeal against his deportation.

Awad, 44, who also has a home in Wapakoneta, Ohio, was in Israel under a tourist visa that expired last November, and he previously refused an order to leave. He was allowed to remain following strong U.S. pressure against the previous expulsion order.

The move to expel Awad followed a crackdown on leaders of the uprising, 20 of whom have been deported to Lebanon.

Israel has also jailed 21 Arab journalists, including one Thursday, in an effort to stifle news coverage of the protests.

Meanwhile, police today arrested a Jewish settler in the shooting death of a Palestinian shepherd on the West Bank. Israel radio identified the suspect as Yisrael Zeev, a U.S. immigrant.

Also, Israel radio reported that troops shot and wounded a 15-year-old Arab boy in anti-occupation unrest today in the Gaza Strip town of Khan Yunis.