Karin Laub and Mohammed Daraghmeh, TIMES OF ISRAEL
"More Palestinians in East Jerusalem are applying for Israeli citizenship in hopes of swapping their vulnerable status as mere city residents for the rights and ease of travel that come with an Israeli passport. But after long touting its offer of citizenship to them, Israel is now dragging its feet in granting it, those who track Palestinian applicants say. Lawyers said their Palestinian clients now wait months for an appointment with the Interior Ministry and an average of three years for a decision."
“We see a clear link between these seemingly innocent bureaucratic measures and Israel’s demographic interest to reduce the number of Arabs inside its borders, especially Arabs with voting rights,” said lawyer Adi Lustigman, who has represented Palestinians seeking citizenship."