Ministers to discuss fixing status of Citizenship Law
Ministerial Committee will review MK Rotem's bill proposal meant to prevent Palestinians from obtaining Israeli citizenship through marriage
The Ministerial Committee on Legislation will discuss Sunday a proposal by MK David Rotem (Yisrael Beitenu) to amend the Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty so that it will include clauses from the Citizenship Law which prevent family reunifications between Israeli-Arabs and Palestinians that might grant Israeli citizenship to residence of the Palestinian territories.
The High Court has rejected several appeals against the Citizenship Law In recent years, however it has noted that it harms family and equality rights in a disproportional manner.
The high Court justices also urged the state to form a different arrangement, which will minimize the infringement of civil rights.
Since its initial approval, the government has extended the Citizenship Law, despite additional appeals filed in the past year which claim the Citizenship Law directly contradicts the Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty.
Thus far, no ruling has been made on the appeals that are slated for review in the coming days.
In his amendment bill, MK Rotem suggests giving a permanent status to the 2006 High Court ruling, which will prevent it from being overturned by a different panel of judges.
MK Rotem said his bill stemmed from the harsh reality in the State of Israel, which warranted fixing Israel's sovereignty within the basic law and allowing it to conduct its immigration policy at its discretion, while setting limits and restrictions as it sees fit.
Rotem added that even the minority opinion in the High Court was unable to rule marriage as an accepted arrangement for obtaining automatic citizenship.
"This proposal, signed by over 40 Knesset members who represent more than a third of the Knesset plenum and enjoys the support of most coalition members, is meant to legally bind a High Court decision aimed at hindering random changes to a ruling set by a panel of 11 judges," MK Rotem told Ynet.
According to Rotem, "approving this amendment proposal will prevent the possibility of bypassing what is dubbed by Palestinians 'the right of return' by means of marriage, and the absorption of those who are not eligible citizens and do not intend to be loyal to the Jewish state, or obey its laws."
