Positions on Palestinian Residency 

Israeli: 
- Marriages of Palestinian residents to non-residents and consequent applications for unification create a process of one-sided migration into the Occupied Territories. 
- Family Reunification is therefore not a mere humanitarian matter, but one with demographic and political implications. 
- Due to this fact, the decision about who is eligible to live in these territories cannot be left to the individual, but has to be made by the authorities. 
- The procedure of granting residency only in exceptional cases in accordance with international law, because even in conditions of peace, states impose limitations on immigration, and regarding the territories under belligerent occupation, this has to be accepted even more so. 

Palestinian: 
- The right of residents to marry foreign persons and the right of families to live in unity are basic human rights and therefore not negotiable. 
- Regulations concerning the granting of residency to married foreign spouses and relatives have to be brought into line with the standards set by international law and conventions (especially with those signed by Israel), and with international norms (e.g. it is a norm that permanent residency - if not citizenship - is granted automatically to foreign spouses of citizens.) 
- The present Israeli policy regarding Family Reunification represents a direct interference with the internal affairs of the occupied territories by the occupation power which stands in contradiction to the Geneva Convention. 

Regarding the Interim Phase of Shared Rule 

Israeli: 
- It is the Israeli principle that the future of the Occupied Territories must not be determined in this stage; all the options have to remain open - including option of annexation by Israel. 
- Therefore, Israeli authorities have to remain the sole decision-making bodies regarding the entrance and exit of Palestinian to and from these territories. 
- Applications for Family Reunification will be dealt with on a case by case basis. 

Palestinian: 
- The interim stage is a stage of transition towards Palestinian self rule, and concrete steps to hand over decision making power to the Palestinian population must be undertaken. 
- All persons displaced against their will during the War of 1967 and their families have to be permitted to return to Palestine, if they wish to do so. 
- A Palestinian authority to be established will be eligible to control entrance and exit of Palestinians into the territories under shared rule, with the Israeli authorities holding veto power for security reasons. 

Regarding the Permanent Solution 

Israeli: 
- This is a matter for later discussions. 

Palestinian: 
- Palestinian sovereignty - except for military affairs - must be established. 
- The case of Palestinian refugees displaced in 1948 must be raised; a solution must be based on the right to return or to receive adequate compensation.

 
index
issue no. 4