Interior Min. increasingly revoking E. J'lem Arabs' residency permits
Interior Ministry says most cases involved people who immigrated, acquired foreign citizenship.
By Shahar IlanThe number of East Jerusalem residents whose permanent residency status has been revoked has surged by more than six times in one year, according to Interior Ministry data made available to the human rights group B'Tselem. The ministry attributes this in part to "growing efficiency."
In 2005 the number of residencies revoked stood at 222, while by 2006 the number rose to 1,363. This is the highest number of revoked permanent residency permits since the policy was introduced in 1995.
Permanent status grants East Jerusalem residents most of the privileges enjoyed by Israeli citizens. The status can be revoked for taking up residence in the Palestinian Authority or abroad.
The policy of mass revocations has been in place for more than a decade. It began in 1995, toward the end of Eli Suissa's tenure as director of the Jerusalem District at the Interior Ministry.
It heightened when he was appointed interior minister in 1996, when his party, Shas, joined the coalition government of Benjamin Netanyahu.
Suissa was instrumental in making it harder for East Jerusalem residents to acquire construction permits, causing a serious housing shortage among Arabs in the city. This forced many Jerusalem Arabs to seek housing elsewhere, losing their permanent residency status.
The peak years of this policy were 1996 (739 permits revoked), 1997 (1,067 permits) and 1998 (788 permits). When Natan Sharansky was interior minister from 1999 to 2000, the number of revoked residence permits dropped, and has leveled at 200 to 300 per year.
The Interior Ministry has based its policy of revoking permanent status on a Supreme Court ruling in 1988 by its former president, Justice Aharon Barak.
In the case of Palestinian-American psychologist Mubarak Awad, Barak set the precedent on the argument that permanent status - unlike naturalization - "is an expression of the reality of a permanent stay." Barak also noted that when that reality of permanent residence is no longer applicable, the status "cancels itself."
In response to a request by B'Tselem, Shalom Benamo, who is in charge of releasing information to the public at the Interior Ministry, said that "most of the [cases] between 2005 and 2006 involved people who immigrated abroad and acquired foreign citizenship."
The rest of the cases are the result of individuals living outside Jerusalem for seven years, Benamo said.
He also noted that in 2000, in a document that came to be known as "The Sharansky Declaration," any person who has maintained "links" to the city is recognized as retaining permanent status.
A single visit to Israel every three years is considered sufficient to maintain links to the city, and therefore permanent residency status.
In a B'Tselem question regarding a possible change in the policy and interpretation of the Sharansky Declaration, Benamo said that "there is no fundamental change in the Interior Ministry's policy on this issue.
The rise in the number of revocations stems from growing efficiency at the office, and better supervision of borders."
B'Tselem demands that the policy of revoking residency status cease, arguing that it breaches international law.
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These people are panhandlers.They don't pay taxes,so they deserve nothing,let Abbas look after them.
The system is very cruel but efficient.Bit by bit the Arab population will dwindle to a insignificant number and eventualy Jerusalem could be truly called a Jewish city.The way it should be anyway.PEACE is a pipedream in the mid-east and foolish is who says otherwise.Enjoy the fruit of your labour before WW3.It's coming.God bless Israel.
1. There has been a Jewish majority in Jerusalem for several centuries. 2. After Jordan's conquest and annexation of East Jerusalem, Jewish residents were expelled. 3. Permanent residents receive social and health benefits and can vote in local elections. 4. Jews are not allowed to reside permanently in Jordan no less be a citizen. 5. All residents of E. Jerusalem were offered full Israeli citizenship in 1967. On the other hand, if someone goes overseas for study of work they should not necessarily lose their permanent resident status, unless they become a permanent resident or citizen of another country. I don't believe that you can't reside unless you have permanent status, you just lose your benefits. Is that true?
What a cheek! These Arabs of East Jerusalem were born in Jerusalem -how many Jewish Jerusalemites were born here? By absolute contrast, Settlers living in the West Bank are considered to be Israeli citizens however long they live there. I hope whenever there is a Palestinian state the same laws will apply in reverse!
Had it not been for economic reasons, I'd still be living in Skokie. Though I love where I live now, Skokie is one of the finest small cities in the US. Skokie is also, by percentage, probably the most Jewish town in the US, making it a target for some of the most vile ideologues in the country. Skokie is also the home of one of the largest populations of Holocaust survivors outside of Israel. I suspect that the vast majority of those in Skokie share my point of view.
Mark, You are a wise man, I cannot argue anymore with some ignrant Israelis living in Skokie. Thanks for your fairness.
As much as I hate what the world has done to Jews, but that has nothing to do with the Palestinians. The Israelis must stop this apartheid and seize the moment before it is too late for them.
So where did you come from, Mr Kohen? Why do not you go back to wehre you came from. Palestinians have more rights for the land than you will ever dream off.
My residency was revoked when i was in a visit to russia for 2 months despite the evidences that shows that I was living before that in east jerusalem... they told me in the ministry that my ID was revoked by the embassy in russia... "bring the decision from the embassy and make an appeal" they told... the appeal takes years to bring back my ID... I was born in the old city and I know I have the right to live where I was born... Dont I have the right to go back to my home?
...is Jerusalem. The capital of Israel is Tel Aviv.
...pointing out that this policy is slow motion ethnic cleansing, designed to increase the Jewishness of East Jerusalem?
circumstances. Wouldn't your state have done the same? Of course! In Israel, however, unlike other places, there are organizations such as b'tzelem, and Israel, unlike other states, is a Jewish state, and therefore the attention, indeed the obsession of some with what Israel does or does not do. Let us, friends, look at matters proportionately, unless of course your interest is to constantly demonize the Jewish state for the fact that it is a Jewish state.....
Luli i agree with you and this a pure racism!!!Also some here pretend to be ignorant.Yes they are but what Israel does created by those bastards !!!!
a noted right-winger taking up the cause of Palestinian rights to east Jerusalem, out of a commitment to justice and compassion. I wonder if any of the die-hard Israel-bashers will take note of it.
Permanent residency is not for Arabs only. There are Jews, too, who, for personal reasons, opt for permanent residency rather than citizenship. The story requires comparison of revocation rates between Arabs and non-Arabs.
Imagine this: You were born in Tel Aviv, you attend the schooling system up to High School and then you decide to resume your studies overseas. Seven years later: Guess what, your residency is revoked and you cant live in Tel Aviv anymore....why? cos Palestinians who are occupying Tel Aviv decide that you dont belong there for pure demographic reasons...do you see this as a political or legal battle? nice try anti palestinians
Am I mistaken? Then, all Jordanian passport holders should be sent back to Jordan.
WAKE UP TIME FOR ALL !!
In 1948 there was a partition by UN into Jewish and Arab sections. The Jewish state welcomed friendship with its Arab neighbors instead the response was an attempt to destroy the new jewish state. This has been happening ever since. Had the Arab people wanted to share and grow all the destruction would never have happened. The Arabs would never have had to lose a war becuase there would have been no wars. Rather they chose the path of destruction, and are still choosing it. Either by war and killing or attempts to widdle the jewish state into an Arab majority. Israel does not have to explani nor apologize its position to the world; rather the world should explain and apologize for its anti-semitism. The Jewish state shall forever remain a Jewish state, a democracy for the Jewish people in a world of anti semitism.
Its not an act but a reality and fact of the Israeli Racism acts ,,,,Flasha ,Russian,and many others get their id on the airport once they step in the plane for their first time and step on the occupied Palestine ground,,,,International community Must stop and drag those responsibles to the international court,,,Jerusalemites have to get all their rights to stay and register their sons as well ,,,,,at the interior ministry in Jerusalem,many directors were involved in corruption by taking around US$ 3000 from arabs to keep their ids,,,who couldn't pay didnt succeed to keep it ,,,Thanks for Haaretz (if they are concerned to investigate more and raise this issue on the country level)Thanks for Beit Selem to investigate,,,
Israelis are not entitled to sovereignty over any cake residing outside of the green line.
1. Is there a written process for getting building permits for East Jerusalem? 2. Does the process vary by race, religion or ethnicity? 3. Are there objective criteria for getting a permit? I used to live in Skokie, as you now do. The answers for Skokie are: 1 - YES 2 - NO 3 - YES Shouldn't this be so everywhere? King David established the principle of non-Jews being able to enjoy property rights in Jerusalem. He purchased land from Araunah, a non-Jew, rather than siezing it or accepting it as a gift. Is this principle no longer valid?
This is a Jewisg state. A democracy for Jews to be protected from a world of Anti-semites. Call it what you like. It is a Jewish state. There are enough Arab states and countries. No need to apologize or explain. Let the world apologize for it s antisemitism.
Its kinda ironic that this only applies to the natives of the land but to any Jew abroad the "law of return (sic)) gives he/she a permit to live anywhere plus citizenship....if this is not aparhteid then please explain yourself oh ye enlightened ones.
They refused Israeli citizenship when Israel offered it to them, left to live under PLO or other rule, and then complain about the consequences. Tough luck. We don't need to apologize for their behavior in OUR capital city.