Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Thousands of Palestinians who left the West Bank to work or study between 1967 and 1994 had residency rights revoked by Israel

Israel stripped 140,000 Palestinians of residency rights, document reveals

Thousands of Palestinians who left the West Bank to work or study between 1967 and 1994 had residency rights revoked

Harriet Sherwood in Jerusalem
guardian.co.uk,

Israel stripped thousands of Palestinians of their right to live in the West Bank over a 27-year period, forcing most of them into permanent exile abroad, a document obtained under freedom of information laws has disclosed.

Around 140,000 Palestinians who left to study or work had their residency rights revoked between 1967 and 1994.

Those leaving the West Bank across the Allenby bridge border crossing to Jordan were required to deposit their identity documents with Israeli officials. In return they were given a card, valid for three years, which could be extended three times for an additional year.

If they stayed abroad more than six months beyond the expiration of the card, Israel deemed them "NLRs" – no longer resident – and their right to return was revoked.

"The mass withdrawal of residency rights from tens of thousands of West Bank residents, tantamount to permanent exile from their homeland, remains an illegitimate demographic policy and a grave violation of international law," said Hamoked, an Israeli NGO that filed the freedom of information request....READ MORE

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