The Association for Civil Rights in Israel petitioned the Jerusalem Administrative Court to grant a temporary residence permit to a 22-year-old woman born in Israel, daughter of a permanent resident father and a Palestinian mother. She grew up in welfare boarding schools after being removed from her father's custody due to severe physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. Upon reaching adulthood, she found herself without legal status, family support, or employment, leading to homelessness and risk. After coming out and beginning a gender transition, she now faces threats from her family in the West Bank.
The petition was filed after we submitted a humanitarian request for a temporary residence permit in Israel, which would grant almost full social benefits. The request was denied, and the Ministry of Interior decided to issue only DCO permits for her stay in Israel. This means she will not receive an Israeli identity card and will be ineligible for national health insurance, public housing, social security allowances, and other essential benefits she urgently needs.
The petition outlined the challenges faced by transgender individuals, especially those without status in Israel, including difficulties in finding work and housing, and inevitable economic hardship. This often forces many into prostitution as a last resort. It also argued that the state has a special duty to protect children removed from their parents' custody and placed in state care, like the petitioner, and that she needs protection from persecution based on her gender identity and sexual orientation.
AP 5872-08-24 A.A. v. Minister of the Interior
Attorney Reut Shaer
The petition, August 5, 2024 (Hebrew)
The petition was written with the assistance of intern Yael Seidemann