Dov Lieber, TIMES OF ISRAEL
Since 1967, over 14,500 Arab residents of Jerusalem have had their right to live in the city revoked. Unanimously accepting a long-shot petition, the Supreme Court rules that, as native born Jerusalemites, they deserve better.
Adi Lustigman, an experienced immigration lawyer who litigated the case for Abdalhak alongside lawyers Amir Hasan and Tamir Blank, told The Times of Israel the ruling should come as a great relief to East Jerusalemites.
In theory, she said, it creates a context in “which many East Jerusalemites can regain lost Israeli residency rights.”
She cautioned, however, that only time would tell if the apparent precedent will hold.
The Interior Ministry argues it is simply carrying out the law when it revokes residency statuses.
The ministry also says it is battling a widespread trend in which Palestinians who actually live in the West Bank claim to be living in East Jerusalem in order to have access to Israeli civil and social services.