Civil rights groups have criticized Israel for denying entry to a US university student of a Palestinian descent for a study-abroad program.

The Palestine Cultural Office, Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee, National Lawyers Guild and other organizations held a news conference on Thursday to support Abeer Afana of the Detroit suburb of Novi.

The 21-year-old Afana was detained on May 16 at Tel Aviv airport and interrogated. She was then sent back to the US, the Associated Press reported.

Afana was sent home because her parents were from the Gaza Strip and she had once held a Palestinian passport.

Palestine Cultural Office Director Hasan Newash said Afana has the right to study abroad like other US citizens.

The US-born student was part of a month-long program designed to examine conflict and cooperation among Israelis and Palestinians.

"For me it was just like question after question about me, my family. No one gave me any alternatives. It was straight from interrogation to getting my bags," Afana said.

Earlier this month, Israel also denied renowned US scholar Noam Chomsky entry into the occupied Palestinian territories over his anti-Israeli stance.

(Press TV)