Article74 Magazine

On 6 April 1998, four Israeli human rights organizations petitioned the Israeli High Court on behalf of fourteen Palestinian Jerusalemites whom the Ministry had determined were not residents. The state has not yet filed an answer (see also ARTICLE 74/24).

In 1997, MK 'Azmi Beshara proposed a law amending the Entry into Israel Law, which enables the Minister of the Interior to revoke permanent residency. Pursuant to the proposed law, the Minister's power would be limited, and he would not have the power to revoke the permanent residency of a person born in Jerusalem or that of his immediate family (see also ARTICLE 74/21). The proposed bill passed the first preliminary reading in the Knesset on 9 July 1997. It was forwarded to the Knesset's Committee for Interior Affairs where it has remained since then. As the proposed bill suggests that the amendment should be valid for two years (i.e. until the completion of the final status negotiations in May 1999), time for this initiative is running out.