The Association for Civil Rights in Israel, together with the Legal Aid Center for Olim of the Israel Religious Action Center, the Hotline for Refugees and Migrants, HIAS, and Physicians for Human Rights, sent legal correspondence on December 23, 2024, demanding amendments to the new procedure (the “Humanitarian Procedure”) governing the work of the Inter-Ministerial Advisory Committee for Granting Status in Israel on Humanitarian Grounds. The Humanitarian Procedure applies to those who are not eligible for status in Israel under other policies, who are often the most vulnerable people in Israel: foreign women who are victims of violence, guardians of Israeli children, trafficking victims, unaccompanied minors, orphans, and stateless people.
Recently, several sections were added to the Procedure that make it more difficult for these individuals to obtain legal status. The new sections include the requirement that applicants surrender their residence permits and receive a tourist visa, which does not entitle them to any social rights; the requirement for original and authenticated documents; and the requirement that applicants appealing a decision by the Population Authority to deport them leave Israel before their application is reviewed. The petition argues that the changes to the Procedure effectively block many applicants from submitting humanitarian requests, even in life-or-death situations.
Administrative Petition 61980-12-24 The Legal Aid Center for Olim of the Israel Religious Action Center v. Minister of Interior (Heb)
Attorneys: Anat Ben-Dor (Refugee Rights Clinic, Tel Aviv University), Rachel Fish Ben-Israel (Legal Aid Center for Olim), Adv. Neta Mishly (Hotline for Refugees and Migrants), Adv. Nimrod Avigal (HIAS), Adv. Adi Lustgarten (Physicians for Human Rights), Adv. Tal Hassin (Association for Civil Rights in Israel)