www.righttoenter.ps info@righttoenter.ps

Right To Enter is a grassroots Campaign for the protection of foreign passport holders residing in or visiting the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt)

Who We Are We are a volunteer group of individuals and families affected by the current Israeli occupation authorities' policy regarding entry and residing in the oPt

The ENTRY ISSUE Entry Denial Who is affected? Visa / permit / residency

Entry Denial The Israeli occupation authorities are systematically and/or arbitrarily denying entry or re-entry to the oPt via the exclusively Israeli controlled borders: Ben Gurion Airport Allenby Bridge Sheikh Hussein Bridge Taba Bridge Eilat

Who Is Affected? Residents of and visitors to the OPT (Gaza Strip and West Bank/East Jerusalem) who do not hold a Palestinian ID issued by the Israeli Ministry of Interior Israeli issued Palestinian ID: No more than a temporary and at any time revocable permit of residence. Based on no rights.

Who is being denied entry? Immediate and Extended family (support system and social security) Professionals and experts Educators and students Investors and businessmen Tourists Clergy and charity INGO and NGO staff (B1/B2 visas)

Visa/permit/residency issue Family unification and population registry Ethnic discrimination PA only visa Duration of visas and permits Consequences

Family unification The Israeli Occupation Authorities determine whether or not you are a Palestinian whether or not you exist Palestinian ID is a personal identification document issued by Israel for Palestinian residents and their children living in the West Bank and Gaza Strip Israel controls the population registry of the occupied Palestinian population, determining who has a legal identity: No births, marriages or deaths are recognized unless recorded by Israeli computers

Ethnic Discrimination A TOURIST VISA is issued to citizens of Western countries An entry PERMIT is issued to citizens of Arab countries and non-Western countries Foreign nationals of Palestinian/Arab descent or carrying names similar to Arab names are favorite targets for denied entry treatment Collective punishment is imposed on Palestinians whose relatives have ‘overstayed’ their visa

PA only visas Limit the access to the West Bank areas B and C Do not allow to visit East Jerusalem In contrast, some visitors are issued “Israel only” visas, preventing them from visiting family and friends in the West Bank

Duration of visas and permits Israeli authorities are issuing visas of shorter duration to those intending to travel to, work and/or reside in the oPt The duration of visas issued to those granted entry is determined without clear reason or explanation Permit and visa validity ends upon exit from Israel

Consequences Families are torn apart Fear of a subsequent denial of entry has caused Palestinian foreign passport holders to forgo - health care treatments - family visits - education & training - economic development activities

Consequences Palestinian investors and business people from the Diaspora are discouraged from building their country Brain drain: educated Palestinian youth will seek a more secure life in more “appreciative” host countries Foreign experts in health, education and development are discouraged from coming to the oPt

What does the Campaign do? 1- Collect evidence and document cases of entry denial and deportations 2- Generate and disseminate documents: position papers; monthly updates; press releases; generic and personal letters of appeal against Israeli practices

3- Mobilize action against the Israeli practice of family separation and denying entry to foreign experts and supporters to the oPt with Palestinian Authority (president and relevant officials) and educational institutions Third State Representatives, Quartet, special missions - more recently: PA-only visas, B1/B2 visas

Human Rights Organizations Faith-based institutions (clergy) International Organizations (Amnesty International, UN - Access and Movement)

4- Reach out to and mobilize the local community and affected persons to stand up for their rights 5- Publicize the issue through national and international media  channels 6- Launch an international legal and political campaign to stop and reverse these  Israeli policies and practices:

We urge Third States to promote Israel's compliance with International Humanitarian Law to protect the Palestinian population under occupation Immediate halt to Israel’s arbitrary and abusive practice of denying entry to foreign nationals traveling to the oPt Vigorous scrutiny to cases of denied entry and denied residency in the oPt

… and to promote the Duty of all states not to acquiesce to internationally unlawful acts by Israel Reciprocity of treatment of nationals: treatment accorded Israeli nationals seeking to enter third countries must be reciprocated to their own nationals seeking to enter Israel or the oPt

Campaign Achievements publicizing the entry issues through local and international media – print, TV and radio

Achievements… more “Israeli Committee for Residency Rights” / ICRR, supports the Campaign by Meeting with foreign missions in Tel Aviv Raising awareness and lobbying with Israeli politicians on the issue Mobilizing Israeli educators to support the right to education in the oPt

Achievements… more Joint demarches by foreign missions with Israeli MOFA Israeli MOFA to respond in writing to foreign embassies Encouraging denied persons to repeat entry attempts when denied…often successful

Achievements … more Israeli CoGAT to respond in writing to the Palestinian Authority (reversal of last permits) Family unification process was resumed – temporarily at least – and some 35,000 families are back together Persons denied entry protest and return ……. often successful!

The challenge remains Join the Campaign for the Right to Enter!