More Palestinians to get citizenship
Government approves Sunday modifications to temporary order banning Palestinians married to Israeli citizens from entering the country. Changes to pave way for about 200 Palestinians to receive Israeli citizenship
JERUSALEM - The government approved Sunday modifications to a temporary order banning Palestinians married to Israeli citizens from entering the country, paving the way for some 200 Palestinians to receive Israeli citizenships.
According to the modified order, women 25 and above and men 35 and above would be permitted to reunite with their partners in Israel.
The government was asked to approve the modified order because the current one is set to expire at the end of May. Earlier, the Knesset’s Constitution Committee decided to extend the temporary order, but lift several restrictions.
Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, opposed the demand voiced by Interior Minister Ophir Pines-Paz, who wants to allow more Palestinian women to reunite with their Israeli husbands. Pines-Paz said he wants to allow women 20 and above to enter the country, and to also allow the children of such couples to live in Israel until they turn 18, rather than 16, as Livni proposed.
Following the vote Pines-Paz said the temporary order does not give proper consideration to the humanitarian aspects of the matter.
Shas Chairman Elli Yishai said in response to the vote “the meaning of the government’s decision is that a sovereign government in Israel has approved today the right of return through the back door.”
“The decision also revitalized the revolving door policy, and it may pose an existential threat to the Israeli enterprise,” he said.
According to the government’s decision, some 200 Palestinians who are married to Israelis will receive Israeli citizenship.
‘What’s good for Europe is good for us’
Earlier, Livni told Ynet European countries also limit marriage-based citizenship rights.
“What they (Europeans) allow themselves to do, we have to do, because of the sensitive security situation,” she said. “We are not talking about limiting the right of a citizen to wed, and therefore this isn’t discrimination. It’s Israel’s right to establish principles that deal with the country’s entry gate.”
