Israel’s residency revocation laws ban bereaved Palestinians while welcoming global Jewish newcomers

Evidence

Amir, a Palestinian man from oEJ, was finishing his engineering degree abroad as he learned about the sudden death of his mother, aged forty-two, who suffered from an aggressive form of cancer. Amir insisted on leaving his studies, postponing his exams, and returning home to mourn with his family. As he arrived at the Israeli airport, Amir was told that he would not be allowed to enter the country or proceed to his hometown, and that his Jerusalem residency had been revoked. … Think about me, a young man in pain, who had just lost his mother … standing in front of various officers, needing to deal with their [Israeli] racist laws and policies … They want us [Palestinians] out of Jerusalem, and [meanwhile they] are bringing all those “birthright” people, young Jewish men and women from around the world. They were with me in the airport singing and chanting and I was in pain. Well, they crossed [into Israel], and I was banned from even paying the last farewell to my mother. (Interview with the author, October 2017) Another story is that of Marwa, whose family home, which was constructed on land legally owned by her father, was demolished due to lack of a building permit. — Nadim N. Rouhana and Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian, When Politics Are Sacralized, 998

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Absentee Property Law of 1950 legally barred expelled Palestinians from reclaiming property — Nadim N. Rouhana and Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian, When Politics Are Sacralized:…, 1003; Israel’s Law of Return structurally blocks assimilation of non-Jewish natives; Israel’s 2003 citizenship law forced Arab Israelis marrying Palestinians to relocate (+1 more)

Broader Connections

• Israel’s Law of Return structurally blocks assimilation of non-Jewish natives #corroborates (0.82)
• The originary diaspora concept tied to Israel mandates reclaiming land already settled by others #expands (0.80)
• Israel’s 2003 citizenship law forced Arab Israelis marrying Palestinians to relocate #exemplifies (0.78)