Israeli law permits the deportation of Arab-Jerusalemites

The ruling Likud party, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, prepared a draft bill that targets Jerusalemites and permits their citizenship to be revoked if they are found guilty of being involved in what Israel classifies as terrorism.

The Interior Ministry has already taken measures to deport the family of one of the men responsible for the attack on the synagogue in Jerusalem.

The “Anti-terror law” proposed by Member of the Knesset Yariv Levin includes a request from Netanyahu to the Knesset to revoke the Israeli citizenship or residency of those committing attacks in Israel and to destroy their family’s homes.

The bill targets Jerusalemites in particular and permits their deportation outside the boundaries of the state, i.e. to the Gaza Strip.

The law consists of eight points, which will be approved without having to go through the Knesset and dictates that the citizenship or permanent residency of those caught committing acts of terrorism, according to Israel’s definition, must be immediately revoked and they must be deported within 24 hours of this being carried out.

In addition to this, the bill also suggests that holding up a flag of a rival country, especially the Palestinian flag, is considered a terrorist act punishable by law. It also has a separate clause pertaining to the families of those described as “terrorists”, stating that their citizenship will be revoked and they will be deported to the Gaza Strip if they support these acts.

In the context of these measures, Israel decided to deport the wife of Ghassan Abu Jamal, one of the men involved in the most recent attack on a synagogue, which resulted in the death of five Israelis.

Israeli Interior Minister Gilad Erdan stated that he has deported Abu Jamal’s wife, children and her family from Jerusalem and have deprived her from financial assistance from Israel and any state benefits she had received as a resident of Jerusalem.

An Al-Jazeera correspondent reported that Abu Jamal’s wife, who is originally a resident of the occupied Wes Bank, lived with her husband and children in Jerusalem in accordance with the family reunification law. The Israeli cabinet also approved the demolition of Ghassan Abu Jamal’s home.

Arab MK Masoud Ganaim told Al-Jazeera that the measures Israeli authorities have taken against Ghassan Abu Jamal’s family reflect the fact that it is not a democratic state, but a Jewish state. He added that Israel’s actions are making matters worse.