Palestinian Hatem Hussein Abu Rayaleh points at his house which was demolished again by Israeli forces in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Issawiya, 1 March 2021. (Credit: AFP)
JERUSALEM — Israel passed a law on Wednesday that would allow authorities to strip people of citizenship or residency if they have been jailed and received Palestinian funds for actions deemed as 'terrorism,' as rising violence has stoked fears of escalation.
Following months of deadly violence in the occupied West Bank, the law passed by 94 votes to 10, by the hard-right coalition of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and many opposition lawmakers in a rare moment of political unity.
Under the new law, Palestinians from East Jerusalem who directly or through their families receive stipends from the Palestinian Authority after having been jailed in Israel for security offenses can be deported to the Palestinian territories.
It could also apply to some members of Israel's Arab minority.
"Our enemies are not worthy of our citizenship and those who come to hurt the state of Israel are not worthy of living here," said far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
Most Palestinians in East Jerusalem, which Israel annexed in 1967, have a "permanent resident" status as opposed to full Israeli citizenship.
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the law as "the ugliest form of racism."
Qadoura Fares, chairman of the Palestinian Prisoners Association, said: "This is an unjust and racist law that aims to empty the land of its native residents and eject people from their homes."
At the Knesset, opposition lawmakers who objected to the bill said it was discriminatory because it would not apply to Jewish Israelis convicted for attacks against Palestinians.
The new legislation comes as already high tension is building ahead of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan and the Jewish holiday of Passover.