‘Racist’ marriage law upheld by Israel
Monday, 15 May 2006
Israel’s High Court has narrowly upheld a law denying Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza married to Israeli citizens the right to live in the country with their spouses.
The judges voted by six to five not to cancel a four-year-old amendment to the Citizenship Law which outlaws “family unification” in Israel between Palestinians and Arab citizens of Israel.
It was passed as a one-year emergency measure in 2002 on the ground that it was needed to protect Israeli security. But the amendment, described yesterday by the Knesset member Ran Cohen, of the left-wing Meretz party, as “rooted in racism”, has been renewed every year since then.
Israel’s Chief Justice, Aharon Barak, sided with the minority on the bench, declaring:
“This violation of rights is directed against Arab citizens of Israel. As a result, therefore, the law is a violation of the right of Arab citizens in Israel to equality.”
