IS Members Could Lose Citizenship

Minister of the Interior Rabbi Aryeh Deri is seeking to revoke the citizenship and permanent residency of two Islamic State members, Ynet reported on Sunday.

Rabbi Deri asked Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit to cancel the citizenship of Khalil Khalil, 26, a resident of east Yerushalayim, who was sentenced to two years in prison after he travelled to Syria in order to join IS’s ranks.

He also requested revocation of the permanent residency of Lukman Atun, 24, also of east Yerushalayim. Atun allegedly set up an IS cell in Sur Baher with the intention of carrying out terrorist attacks on targets in Israel and on foreign embassies.

In recent years, several interior ministers have initiated such proceedings against persons involved in terrorist activities.

Since the beginning of the current wave in terrorism in Israel in the fall of 2015, the rate of these requests has increased. Since the wave’s commencement, four persons have had their permanent residency permits revoked for having been involved in terrorist activities. Another eight are currently in similar proceedings.

This is the first time, though, that these steps have been taken against IS operatives.

Rabbi Deri based his request on an assessment submitted by the Shin Bet.