THE HEROIC FRENCH-US ACADEMIC

Romano was detained on Friday while taking part in a demonstration
in Khan al-Ahmar. [Getty]

ISRAEL COURT halts expulsion of French-US academic seized at demo.

AN AMERICAN-FRENCH law professor arrested while demonstrating against the demolition  of  Palestinian village in the West Bank says an Israeli court has revoked deportation order against him.

Frank Romano, who teaches law at the Paris Nanterre University, was  released late last Sunday on the orders of the Jerusalem magistrates court and spoke in a video posted on social media.

He said the police had earlier handed him over to immigration officials for immediate deportation without a court hearing but he refused to sign a consent form.

''The judge called the immigration and said 'bring him back' and we had the hearing,'' he said.

In the courtroom, the judge ordered his release, he said.

Supporters said he was allowed to stay in Israel until September 25, the original date of his return flight.

He was ordered to lodge a surety of  1,000 shekels [$256, Euro 240]  and provide a guarantor for a separate  5,000  shekel bond, they said.

Romano was detained on Friday, while taking part in a demonstration at the Bedouin village of  Khan aI Ahmar, east of Jerusalem

The village of roughly 200 people in the Israel-occupied West Bank is at the risk of being demolished, at any time, despite fierce criticism from Key European nations.

On September 5, Israel's supreme court upheld an order to raze it  on grounds  as it was built without proper permits.

It is extremely rare for Palestinians to be given Israeli permits to build in Area C  of the West Bank , where Khan aL Ahmar is situated.

The village is located in a  strategic spot  near Israeli settlements and along a road leading to the  Dead Sea.

There have been warnings that continued settlement construction in the area could eventually divide the  West Bank  in two and cut it off from Jerusalem, dealing a death blow to any remaining hopes of a  two-state solution.

Anti-demolition activists said  Romano was arrested along with two Palestinian protesters  when they tried to block bull-dozers sent in by Israeli authorities to seal off an access road to the village.

Pictures on social media show him being led from the scene by Israel riot police. [Agencies]