Ofer - Administrative Detention, Fines

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Observers: 
Nitza Aminov
Jun-12-2017
|
Morning

Translation: Marganit W.

 

Go to Gaza!

 

Background:

Israel treats Palestinians whose address in the Population Registry is Gaza but who reside in the West Bank as aliens occupying their homes illegally, unless they have special permits from the army to live in the [Occupied]Territories. Even though the Supreme Court decreed that people who moved from Gaza to the Territories before September 2005 should not be deported to Gaza, Israel stubbornly refuses to update the addresses in the Population Registry in accordance with the new reality, and continues to regard them as “illegal residents in the Territories.”

 

This is the case of a young 22-year old Palestinian named Karaja, who was born in Gaza and moved to the West Bank with his family when he was a year old. In September 2016 he was arrested and kept for 5 months in administrative detention. In early 2017 he was tried on charges of security violations and sentenced to 5 months in prison and a 12,000-shekel fine. He is still in prison because the family cannot afford to pay the fine. In the meantime, he was told by Israeli Authorities that he is forbidden to return to his family in the West Bank and is about to be deported to Gaza upon release from prison, based on his address in the Registry.

 

The “Center for the Protection of  the Individual” appealed to the Supreme Court against the Prison Authorities, the Military Commander, the minister of the interior and Israeli Police.

In 2010 the Center obtained assurances from the Supreme Court (the State responded in 2012) that Palestinians who had resided in the West Bank before September 2005 and who are registered in Gaza will NOT be deported.

 

Karaja was brought to court from prison. His parents (who by the same logic are also liable to be deported) were present as well as two lawyers from the Center for the Protection of Individual Rights. There is no response yet.

Next hearing is set for 3.7.17.