An Israeli activist who supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against the Zionist entity said he requested refugee status in Canada.

An Israeli activist who supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against the Zionist entity said he requested refugee status in Canada.

Gilad Paz, 34, landed at Montreal International Airport on Aug. 11 after traveling from Tel Aviv and requested political asylum. He told a Canadian asylum officer that he is a BDS and human rights activist, Israeli news paper Haaretz reported.

A self-employed lawyer, Paz fled the occupied territories because he has been “politically persecuted” by the occupation authorities, he told the Ynet news website.

“I came to a conclusion that people like me have no place in Israel, and that’s why I’ve decided to leave before it’s too late,” Paz said.

“I do not believe in the State of Israel. I believe that the Zionist enterprise was a mistake in its essence, and we pay until today a hefty price for it.”

He added: “I support BDS because the State of Israel does not understand a different language.”

Paz said he decided to leave after Israeli public security minister, Gilad Erdan, and interior minister, Aryeh Deri, formed a government task force recently to prevent the entry of foreign BDS supporters and deport those who have already entered territories under Israeli control.

Paz said he chose Canada “because they are the most open to applications for political asylum.”