Last Thursday, the campaign to file requests for residence status on behalf of children of foreign workers ended. For years, Israel managed to skirt the grim moment when families with children would be deported. Now that moment appears closer than ever. It will soon be clear who is entitled to stay and who has been denied residence, but whom the state is justifiably reluctant to deport. Yesterday, Population Administration spokeswoman Sabine Haddad reported that the administration intended to launch a new campaign to encourage families to leave voluntarily. Examination of residence requests will continue until the end of November. Then, every family will be permitted 45 days, after receiving notice of the denial of their request, to leave voluntarily.

But there will still be delays. First, it is reasonable to assume that rejected families will appeal to Population Administration director Sassi Katzir. Appeals will also be considered in an interministerial committee on humanitarian issues. The number of appeals to be considered in bimonthly committee meetings will undoubtedly soon cause a backup, and, then, we can expect a wave of appeals in Administrative Court.

Some appeals will involve ambiguous cases. But hopeless cases will also be presented - like those of infants and toddlers who do not meet the age six minimal criterion for residence. Why would parents of preschool children appeal? Because they have nothing to lose. In another six months, when proceedings are complete, no one will choose to deport families in the middle of the school term. Ando so, the next target date for deportations appears to be next July.