Al Mezan condemns Israel's denial of ID for 100,000 Palestinians

Over 100,000 Palestinians who live in Gaza and the West Bank, but do not hold ID cards produced by Israel, have been stripped from their civil and political rights. This situation has continued since those returned to the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) after the signing of Oslo Accord and the establishment of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) in 1994. Deprivation from their civil-political rights has led to serious violations of their economic, social and cultural ESC rights as well.

Israel, which maintains full control over OPT's borders as well as the civil registry, refuses to grant IDs for this group of Palestinians. Without an ID card, Palestinians' movement between Gaza and the West Bank, or leaving either, is impossible. The origins of the problem go back to the 1948 war and the expulsion of Palestinian refugees. Those who were registered as absentees after the war have been denied the right to ID. A similar problem occurred in 1967 when tens of thousands of Palestinians fled OPT. After 1994, many have returned after obtaining permits from the Israeli authorities. And many have stayed. A significant number of those have later been born in Gaza and the West Bank, yet were denied ID.

Thousands of families have been deprived from family unification or visits after returning to OPT. In 2000, Israel has almost completely halted issuance of permits, thus prohibiting those who entered from any chance to meet with their families, or travel for education, work or healthcare. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that the health and education services in OPT cannot support all the needs of the population, thus rendering it dependent on travelling to seek them.

Furthermore, the restrictions on their movement by Israel extend to include their non-Palestinian wives. Many wives have not been able to return to the OPT and join their families despite that Israel compelled them to leave the territory. The same applies to their offspring.

The suffering of these families has aggravated under giving a blind eye and the silence from the part of the international community. Under mounting suffering of these families, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights calls:

- The international community and the international human rights organizations to intervene and exert pressure on Israel to stop the violation of this group's human rights without delay;

- The PNA, represented by the President Mahmoud Abbas, to deal with their as a priority and to find a fair solution to it;

- The international, Arab, Israeli and Palestinian human rights organizations to promote the case of these people and help them obtain their full rights as equals to all humans.