The National Insurance Institute branch at the Qalandiya crossing, which provided services to the tens of thousands of residents living in the Kafr Aqab neighborhood in East Jerusalem, closed during the COVID-19 pandemic and has not reopened since, in spite of the desperate need for its services in this enormous neighborhood. Many residents, especially the elderly, are not able to access the relevant forms or departments online or on the phone, and going to another branch in Jerusalem requires crossing through a checkpoint and involves security checks, presenting identification documents, and wait times that could last hours.
ACRI attorneys Tal Hassin and Manar Bader contacted the National Insurance Institute demanding the reopening of the branch. In their appeal, they emphasized that the National Insurance is responsible for providing services to the most vulnerable segments of the population, including the elderly, sick, disabled, work accident victims, single mothers, and children. They argued that the closure of the branch constitutes severe harm to the Palestinian residents of the city, a population in which, as of 2023, 70% of children and 57% of families lived below the poverty line. They also noted that a 2005 government decision stipulates that the State must provide national insurance services to residents of neighborhoods beyond the separation wall, and that the Supreme Court ruled that the government is obligated to ensure access to essential services for residents of neighborhoods beyond the separation wall.
The petition, January 5, 2025 (Hebrew)