Report: Palestinian Reunifications Put on Hold

The coalition’s bill to extend the Citizenship Law (also known as the Family Reunification Law) was defeated in the Knesset and the law expired, but the Interior Ministry is still not processing applications from Palestinians married to Israelis seeking Israeli citizenship or residency, according to Army Radio on Sunday.

Ministry officials were said to be waiting to see if Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked puts the matter to another vote, as she said last week she would do.

It was reported that workers were instructed not to process any such requests, though the report did not say who issued the order.

According to the Kan public broadcaster, Shaked has privately said that she will refuse each individual case of Palestinian family unification until new restrictions are passed. This would likely provoke a legal challenge from human rights groups.