Zahalka. Opposed
Photo: Noam Moscowitz
Waiting period for Palestinians seeking status extended
Additional six-month wait imposed on Israeli-Palestinian couples. MK Zahalka: Law inhumane
The Security Cabinet decided Sunday evening to extend the waiting period required for Palestinians and Israeli-Arabs for an additional six months, in order to "secure the security and national long-term interests of the state".
The Knesset had already extended orders to deny citizenship and legal status requests by Palestinian partners of Israeli citizens until January 31.
The extension was supported by 53 MKs and opposed by 13. Minister of Religious Services Yakov Margi explained that he had voted in favor because many Palestinian applicants were using their legal status to help terror groups.
"Reality has shown an increasing involvement of Palestinian residents of the area, who used the legal status in Israel that was granted to them following the union of families process, to engage in terror activity, and have even helped carry out suicide attacks," he said.
But MK Jamal Zahalka (Balad) claims the sequential six-month extensions prove that there is a hidden motive.
"Calling this racism would be a huge compliment. It is a merciless, retroactive law. Even couples who met and married before the law was legislated must abide by it. Above everything else it is an inhumane law," he said.
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