On 11 December 1996, MK ‘Azmi Bishara (National Democratic Alliance), submitted the following parliamentary questions (# 434) to the Minister of Interior, Eli Suissa: 

“Recently, Israeli identity cards and with them the residency rights in the city were taken from many inhabitants of East Jerusalem. I would like to ask: 

1. What is the exact number of identity cards taken in the past six months? 

2. Does your office have lists of additional residents whose ID cards are scheduled for revocation? 

3. If yes, what is their exact number?” 

On 29 January, Minister Eli Suissa responded to these questions in the parliament. Following are excerpts of his answers and the debate with MK Bishara: 

Minister Eli Suissa: Regarding your first question, our office does not keep statistical records of this matter, but we estimate that we are dealing with approximately 600 cases. Concerning your second and third question, our office does not have lists, and there is no information as to the number of residents whose ID cards will be revoked in the future. 

MK ‘Azmi Bishara: Mr. Minister, we have already several times dealt with this matter, and we keep raising it, because there is a problem; hundreds of complaints have reached us, and there is a lack of information and a situation of uncertainty concerning the criteria used by the Interior Ministry. Now I hear that the National Insurance Institute is also involved in this campaign by hiring private investigators to check where people live, and that the NII has already taken upon itself to decide who is a resident and who not. We will inquire about this matter at the Minister of Labor and Welfare. 

However, with regard to our subject here, it is still unclear what are the criteria. People who were born in this country continue to be treated as if they had entered the country legally or illegally, as if they had migrated to this country ... the honorable Minister of Interior says that they do not keep statistical records. I want to know, if he has any estimate [...] as to the dimensions of this phenomenon in East Jerusalem, because there are tens of thousands of people who live in uncertainty. 

Minister Eli Suissa: I already said that I do not keep records of this matter. I want to add that we are not dealing here with criteria or a policy. We are implementing the rules of the law, that is the Law of Entry and the amended regulations, and also the rulings of the Supreme Court, which provide that a person who transferred the center of his life, or received another citizenship, and lived outside the State of Israel for seven years and then returns, loses his status automatically. And since he loses his status, there is no reason why we should continue to provide him with services or permit him to hold the identity card. 

The issue of National Insurance is also related to our subject. We have turned into a city of immigrants, a city of refuge ... 

MK Bishara: ...You entered their city, they did not enter your city. They have not entered this country ... they are not immigrants ... this is not a city of refuge for Arabs. 

Minister Suissa: I’ll tell you immediately who are these naive immigrants. I tell you that we are dealing here with people who have been living abroad for twenty of twenty five years ... in the USA or in Jordan, with people who come here in order to receive medical insurance, or with all kinds of other excuses which I do not want to detail here.  
In any case, and as I already answered you in the past, I tell you again that there is a clear intention to apply the rules of the law on everybody who fits the criteria set by the law. I will implement this policy.