Egypt to revoke citizenship from thousands of Palestinians

Egyptian security agencies are currently carrying out investigations into 13, 757 Palestinians as a prelude to revoking their Egyptian citizenship allegedly granted to them during the rule of Mohamed Morsi, the Egyptian pro-military news website Youm 7 reported Thursday.

Security agencies are collecting information on those Palestinians, allegedly Hamas supporters and affiliates, “to investigate whether they have been involved in any terrorist activities, and to revoke their citizenship after submitting evidence”, Youm 7 newspaper quoted security sources.

The move comes after a court verdict banned Hamas activities in Egypt and closed down its headquarters.

The decision to revoke citizenship is a “sovereign decision”, and “the Prime Minister has the right to revoke citizenship from individuals who constitute a threat to national security” according to Youm 7.

Many Palestinians complained that their application for Egyptian citizenship after the July 3 coup has been rejected for “security reasons.”