A new policy in Israel is making it impossible for foreign nationals to live in the West Bank

Palestinians at the Qalandiya checkpoint, outside Ramallah,

Yotam Ben-Hillel writes in +972, “Over the past year and a half, Israel has pursued a policy which aims to keep foreign nationals out of the West Bank. This policy affects everyone — partners of Palestinian residents of the West Bank, parents of children who are West Bank residents, and people who have been working in the occupied territories for many years. It is being implemented by the Civil Administration in the settlement of Beit El, which is denying extensions of duration for visa holders.”

“The Civil Administration finds numerous reasons to justify their decision for denial. Working in the territories without a permit is one. In a breach of the Oslo Accords, the Civil Administration refuses to approve work permits for people who are married to a West Bank resident, and have lived in the occupied territories for several decades. The administration probably expects these people not to be able to provide for their family.“…

“The rejection is debilitating in its conciseness: in a single stroke, two words – “request denied” – are jotted down on a little note that is attached to an applicant’s passport. Within seconds, these people become illegal residents of the very place they had lived and worked in for many years, and suddenly face deportation.”…

Palestinians cross the Qalandiya checkpoint, outside of Ramallah

“For many years, foreign partners of West Bank residents were given long-term visas that were renewed on an annual basis. This was a sort of alternative to Israel’s refusal to approve family reunification requests, or provide these partners with a Palestinian identity card. Today, the situation is such that, on one hand, Israel is not granting visas to foreign passport holders who are asking to live in the West Bank, and on the other hand, the Civil Administration is only approving family reunification requests for exceptional humanitarian cases. Entire families find themselves in an impossible situation, where Israel leaves them with one option — to leave.” (more…)