Last update - 18:52 18/06/2003
Knesset forbids citizenship to Palestinians who marry Israelis
By Gideon
Alon, Haaretz Correspondent
A proposed law forbidding the further granting of Israeli citizenship to Palestinian residents of the territories who marry Israelis was passed in a fiery first Knesset reading Wednesday afternoon.
The bill also forbids the granting of Israeli citizenship in cases of reunification between families split between Israel and the territories, and it will strictly limit the ability of Palestinians to obtain Israeli residence or to legally remain in the country.
Forty-seven Knesset members voted in favor of the proposed law and 28 voted against it. Five MKs abstained from voting.
According to the bill, the interior minister would be authorized to grant limited residency status to Palestinians from the territories working or seeking medical treatment inside Israel. The interior minister would also be authorized to grant citizenship or residency status to a Palestinian from the territories if the minister is convinced that said individual identifies with Israel and its goals.
Interior Minister Avraham Poraz, who initiated the bill, said that he is not in a hurry to legislate it and noted that it would be better if such a law was not even in the books. Poraz also noted that in an enlightened and humane society it is necessary to allow the reunification of families.
Nevertheless, he said that there is no escaping the need for such legislation. Poraz said that since the beginning of the intifada there has been increasing involvement in violent acts on the part of Palestinian residents of the territories holding Israeli identity cards. Poraz noted that these individuals - who received their identity cards due to cases of family reunification - were exploiting their status and freedom of movement between Israel and the territories.
Poraz also claimed the proposed law would not prevent the reunification of families split between Israel and the Palestinian territories. The law will, however, prevent Palestinians from moving to live within Israel.
The bill is part of an ongoing effort to limit the ability of Palestinians to obtain Israeli citizenship.
Three weeks ago, the Justice Ministry was reported to be working on another amendment to the Citizenship Law that would disallow the automatic granting of citizenship to children with one Palestinian parent from the territories. This amendment, initiated by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and senior figures in the security establishment, has won the support of Attorney General Elyakim Rubenstein.
Knesset members and the Israeli Union for Civil Rights leveled harsh criticism at the amendment, which noted that the terrorist who carried out the suicide attack on a Haifa restaurant a year ago was the son of an Israeli Arab mother and a Palestinian father.
Wednesday's legislation raised the hackles of left-wing and Arab MKs.
MK Zehava Gal-On (Meretz) noted the "racist and discriminatory bill divides individuals on an ethnic basis." MK Ahmed Tibi (Hadash-Ta'al) said the bill is unethical because it relates to cross-Green Line marriages as ticking bombs that need to be prevented.
MK Issam Makhoul (Hadash-Ta'al) called the proposed law anti-democratic, anti-human and said that it flies in the face of international conventions. MK Wasil Taha (Balad) contended that a law that would not allow individuals to freely choose their marriage partners is reminiscent of German's World War II-era Nuremberg Laws.