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New Israeli law on al-Quds residency sparks criticism worldwide
A controversial law, which allows Israeli authorities to strip Palestinians living in East Jerusalem al-Quds of their right to live in the city, has sparked outrage worldwide.
In a statement released on Saturday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli legislation, saying the permanent residency of thousands of al-Quds Palestinians had been revoked since the Israeli occupation in 1967.
“We reject this illegitimate step that reveals Israel's intention to increase efforts to change the demography of East Jerusalem [al-Quds], disregarding the basic human rights of Palestinians,” the statement read.
On Wednesday, Israel’s parliament (Knesset) passed the so-called “breach of loyalty” law allowing the interior minister to revoke the permanent residency status of Palestinians living in East Jerusalem al-Quds who are deemed to be a threat to the Tel Aviv regime.
Under the measure, Israel can deport anyone whose residency status is withdrawn and the Israeli Supreme Court cannot challenge the rulings by the interior minister.
It also applies to all permanent residents, whether they are recent immigrants or long-time residents of East Jerusalem al-Quds.
Additionally on Saturday, Qatar described the Israeli parliament’s vote for the contentious law as unethical, saying the legislature had completely disregarded international rules, humanitarian law and UN conventions.
The Qatari Foreign Ministry urged the international community to shoulder its responsibility and stop repeated Israeli violations of the Palestinian rights, stressing that such moves would undermine international efforts towards the so-called two-state solution.
It further stressed Doha's full support for the Palestinians’ legitimate right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem al-Quds as its capital.
Earlier this week, the European Union warned that the Israeli legislation would make the lives of Palestinians “even more precarious than it already is today.”
“The new law could be used to further compromise the Palestinian presence in East Jerusalem, which would further undermine the prospects of a [so-called] two-state solution,” the EU’s External Action Service said in a statement.
“In line with international law, the European Union does not recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the territories occupied by Israel since June 1967, including East Jerusalem, and does not consider them to be part of Israel’s territory, irrespective of their legal status under domestic Israeli law,” it added.
The Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) also called the Israeli law “deeply racist”.
Israel occupied East Jerusalem al-Quds during the Six-Day War in 1967 and later annexed it in a move not recognized by the international community.
In December last year, US President Donald Trump sparked global uproar by announcing a dramatic shift in Washington’s policy on Jerusalem al-Quds. He declared that the US was recognizing Jerusalem al-Quds as the “capital” of Israel and planning to relocate the American embassy from Tel Aviv to the city.
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