On August 1, 2017, the Ministry of Interior published
revised procedures on the grant of Israeli status to minors under age 14, only one of whose parents has permanent residency status in the country. Under the new procedures, when no decision is made about the child’s registration in the Israeli population registry within six months, or when the examination of the child’s registration application has been completed, but the required two-year “center of life” in Israel has not yet been proven – the child is to receive a temporary stay permits issued by the military commander in the OPT.
On October 29, 2017,
HaMoked wrote to the Ministry of Interior, saying the new procedure are unacceptable and contrary to the
Citizenship and Entry into Israel Law (Temporary Order), 5763-2003, as well as the existing case law – inter alia, the judgment in the
Skafi case, where it was ruled that minors under age 14 cannot be given military stay permits, but only actual status, be it temporary, from the Minister of Interior.
HaMoked added that the procedures contain other arrangements which require clarification and change, and called on the Ministry of Interior to act speedily to remove the wrongful and illegal instructions from the procedures, and replace them with arrangements in line with the legislation and the case law, in a manner respecting the basic rights of these children and their families.
