In November 2015,
HaMoked wrote to the military to demand the cancelation of the sweeping ban on entry to Eilat (Israel’s southernmost city), inexplicably imposed on Palestinians living in Israel in the framework of the family unification procedure. At the same time, HaMoked sent the military a
freedom of information application in the matter.
In response to both letters, the military said that the ban on entry to Eilat did not apply to this group, and that insofar as it appeared on their permits – it was in error. The military added that in July 2015 it had begun a pilot project of introducing relaxations in the issuance of permits of entry to Israel that allow entry to Eilat.
On January 25, 2017, HaMoked sent the military
another freedom of information application, asking for information about the types of relaxations given in the framework of the pilot project and the conclusions reached thus far.
In
its response, received on May 10, 2017, the military announced that the pilot project had been extended until August 2017, and that no conclusions had been formulated as yet. The military also said that from the beginning of the project in July 2015 and until the end of 2016, 542 entry permits had been issued which allowed access to Eilat.
