On the morning of October 14, 2015,
a set of resolutions was published, adopted by the Security Cabinet in its meeting on the previous day, among them a resolution on “revoking the permanent residency of assailants”.
Thereupon,
HaMoked wrote to urge the Prime Minister to cancel this decree, which is anyhow of doubtful legality: the issue of revoking the status of permanent residents pursuant to the Minister of Interior’s broad discretion under the
Entry into Israel Law, 5712-1952, is still pending before the Supreme Court (HCJ 7803/06). HaMoked protested against the extreme measure adopted by the government – which literally means the deportation of East Jerusalem residents from their home and homeland. HaMoked stressed that it was for good reason that Israel – and other countries as well – had thus far avoided taking this step, even in cases of individuals implicated in severe offences.
HaMoked clarified that the residents of East Jerusalem are not only “Israeli citizens” under domestic Israeli law, but also protected persons under international humanitarian law; and as such, they are entitled to continue living in the occupied territory. Moreover, the Palestinians of East Jerusalem are not foreigners here, it is rather Israel that had annexed their city in 1967.
