Center for the Defence of the Individual - Israel has banned travel abroad by all Hebron Palestinians under age 50, as part of the sanctions imposed following the abduction of three Israelis: HaMoked petitioned the HCJ to lift the ban and allow the departure abroad of two brothers who work and live abroad, who arrived in Hebron on a short family vacation
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חזרה לעמוד הקודם
26.06.2014

Israel has banned travel abroad by all Hebron Palestinians under age 50, as part of the sanctions imposed following the abduction of three Israelis: HaMoked petitioned the HCJ to lift the ban and allow the departure abroad of two brothers who work and live abroad, who arrived in Hebron on a short family vacation

In the beginning of this month, June 2014, two Palestinian brothers, who work as civil engineers in companies in Jordan and Yemen, came to spend a family vacation at the family home in Hebron. Two weeks later, when their work vacations were about to end, the two sought to travel back and return to work.

But as part of the sanctions implemented against the Palestinian population in the west bank following the abduction of the three Israelis, Israel imposed a sweeping ban on travel abroad by Palestinians listed as residents of Hebron under the age of 50, without publishing the relevant order or instruction, and without setting a time limit for the ban. The two brothers remained stranded in Hebron, unable to return to their homes and workplaces. The vacation of the brother working in Yemen, who arrived in Hebron with his family, has already ended. The vacation of the brother working in Jordan ends today.

HaMoked wrote to the Israeli Prime Minister demanding, inter alia, that the sweeping ban on travel abroad by Hebron residents, be lifted. HaMoked also contacted the military to demand the brothers be allowed to leave, but despite the urgency of the case, no response arrived from the military.

Today, June 26, 2014, HaMoked petitioned the High Court of Justice (HCJ) to order the military to immediately lift the ban on travel abroad by Hebron residents, and to allow the brothers to leave for Jordan and return to current homes and work. HaMoked also demands the publication of the order under which the ban has been imposed, and argued that the ban on travel abroad violated the brothers' rights to freedom of movement and freedom of occupation. HaMoked stresses that this is a sweeping prohibition, of unlimited duration, which causes extreme and disproportionate harm, and constitutes collective punishment, that is prohibited under international law.