Israel’s cabinet is set to accept a host of new measures that will greatly increase the burden on Palestinians seeking to be with their families in Israel.This coming Sunday, Israel’s cabinet is expected to pass measures that would greatly increase the barrier to permanent residency and citizenship for Palestinians. Most egregious of them would be a requirement to pledge their loyalty to a ‘Jewish and Democratic’ state.
The measures will primarily affect Palestinian men and women who marry Israeli citizens and then seek citizenship on the basis of family reunification.
Some of the other restrictions include not allowing Palestinians to join their new families in Israel until the Interior Ministry grants them approval. They must also prove their financials and that they have a residence in Israel.
One of the only new restrictions is the addition of the pledge to a ‘Jewish and Democratic state,’ the other restrictions to be imposed on Palestinians wishing to gain residency or citizenship are not actually new; they are part of a law enacted in 2005 which must be renewed annually.
The cabinet is expected to pass all of this Sunday.
