Deri weighs revoking Jerusalem residency of 12 Palestinians for terrorism
Deri’s statement followed the approval of a law earlier this month that authorized the interior minister to revoke permanent residency status on the basis of breach of trust.
By UDI SHAHAMUpdated: MARCH 20, 2018 00:49Shas party leader Arye Deri(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Interior Minister Arye Deri is weighing the removal of permanent residency status from 12 east Jerusalem residents who were involved in terrorist activities, he announced in a statement on Monday.Deri’s statement followed the approval of a law earlier this month that authorized the interior minister to revoke permanent residency status “on the basis of breach of trust,” which could be interpreted as meaning involvement in terrorist activity, according to the statement.The explanatory notes of the law said the legislation came about as a result of a High Court of Justice decision on a case involving the revocation of residency status from residents of east Jerusalem.Deri said in the statement that he plans to use his authority on 12 east Jerusalem residents: Muhammad Abu Tir, Ahmad Atoun, Muhammad Totah and Khaled Abu Arafeh, members of the Palestinian Legislative Council representing the Hamas movement; Muhammad Abu Kaf, Walid Atrash and Abed Dwiat, who committed the deadly attack on Rosh Hashana in 2016 in Armon Hanatziv in which Alexander Levkovich was murdered; Bilal Abu Ghanem, who murdered three Israelis on the 78 bus in Armon Hanatziv in October 2015; and Wa’il Mahmoud Muhammad Ali Kassem, Wassen Sa’id Musa Abbaso, Muhammad Asshak Shehadeh Ouda and Ali a-Din Muhammad Abbasi, members of the Silwan terrorist cell “that was directly and indirectly involved in some of the most severe attacks that were carried out in Israel, including the Cafe Moment attack and the Mount Scopus campus attack... in which dozens of Israelis were killed and injured,” the statement said.Anyone for whom it is decided their residency status will be revoked will be given the option to appeal that decision, Deri said in the statement.“Murdering Israelis and involvement in attacks against civilians is the most severe form of breach of trust between a resident and his state,” he continued.“Residents and citizens that will put the life of the Israeli public in danger, and will be a threat to their well-being, will know that their status is in danger – in addition to all the other punishments that are stated in the law. I will act by all means I have to fight terrorists and all those who are involved and assisting terrorism,” Deri said.
