Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
UKMTO says vessel reported a small craft colliding with it, attempting to collide with other vessels in the area
UKMTO says it received a report of an incident 80NM northwest of jebel Ali, UAE
Israeli Foreign Minister says 'Israel' fully endorses Trump plan for Gaza aid: Reuters
Iranian state media: The fourth round of nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington has kicked off in Oman
Senior Israeli intelligence official: Contacts are underway between Syria and "Israel" to retrieve the body of the spy Eli Cohen
Reuters: US and Chinese officials met again in Geneva to resume trade talks
Al Mayadeen's envoy: The process of uranium enrichment is the main obstacle in the talks
Al Mayadeen's envoy to Muscat, quoting a source in the delegation engaging in the nuclear talks: If we see that the other party deviates from the agreed-upon frameworks, we will not continue the talks
Al Mayadeen's envoy to Muscat, quoting a source in the delegation engaging in the nuclear talks: Iran is ready to reassure all parties that its nuclear program will remain peaceful
Araghchi: Iran's position on its right to a nuclear program is firm, but we are ready for greater transparency and hope that the other side's approach will be clear

Emigre Palestinians fear new Israeli restrictions

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 3 Sep 2022 16:48
3 Min Read

The Palestinian diaspora has been swarming to the occupied West Bank, afraid that new Israeli laws set to take effect next week will make future visits difficult, if not impossible.

  • x
  • Emigre Palestinians hurry back to visit fearful of new Israeli rules.
    Emigre Palestinians hurry back to visit fearful of new Israeli rules.

Palestinians from the millions-strong diaspora have been rushing to the occupied West Bank all summer, worried that new Israeli laws set to take effect next week will make future visits difficult, if not impossible.

Foreign passport holders, including Palestinians residing abroad, will no longer be able to receive visas on arrival under the regulations, which were first issued in February, and would instead have to apply for them at least 45 days in advance.

The regulations will severely restrict foreigners' capacity to study, volunteer, or work in the occupied West Bank, dealing a serious blow to student exchange programs run by the European Union and others.

Read next: "Israel" clamps down on Christians, ignores 350 permits to Beit Lehm

Foreigners will no longer be able to enter occupied Palestine through the main occupation airport near "Tel Aviv," but only through the land crossing between Jordan and the occupied West Bank, which "Israel" occupied in 1967.

After being delayed twice by legal challenges, the new rulebook drafted by COGAT, the Israeli defense ministry organization responsible for Palestinian civil affairs, is set to go into effect on Monday.

Palestinian lawyer Rasem Kamal in the city of Ramallah said he has been overwhelmed with clients from the diaspora seeking to register power of attorney amid significant uncertainty about managing their affairs.

"Many people are rushing to come to the West Bank and finish their business here or give the power of attorney because they understand... there may be restrictions on their ability to visit," he said.

Related News

Al-Quds Brigades intensify operations against Israeli forces in Gaza

Advocacy group slammed for calling Gaza starvation a fix for obesity

The inhuman new rules

The new limits will deprive "thousands of Palestinian families of the right to live together without interruption and to live a normal family life," according to HaMoked, the Israeli rights organization that led the Supreme Court's challenge against the measures.

One of the 19 plaintiffs in the court challenge, Canadian doctor Benjamin Thomson, said the Israeli measure will disturb the work of health professionals.

Read next: 'No time to think of Palestinians as people': Ex-IOF soldier

"These draconian measures will severely impact their work, and impair the lives of the Palestinian people," said Thomson, director of the Keys of Health project aimed at rebuilding healthcare in the Palestinian territories.

Foreign spouses visiting the West Bank will be limited to three or six-month licenses, and foreign volunteers would also face restrictions.

Goal to 'restrict' population growth 

The new guidelines would also establish restrictions for academic exchange programs, with just 150 foreign professors and 100 students permitted to attend Palestinian universities each year.

The planned quotas attracted a harsh reprimand from the European Union, whose Erasmus+ exchange program will suffer the most.

In 2020, 366 European students and academics attended courses in the occupied West Bank, far exceeding the overall allotment for the next two years.

"While Israel greatly benefits from Erasmus+, the (European) Commission considers that it should facilitate and not hinder the access of students to Palestinian universities", Education Commissioner Mariya Gabriel said in July.

Read next: Palestinians forced off buses to make way for Israeli settlers

  • Palestine
  • Israel
  • West Bank

Most Read

Trump cut off contact with Netanyahu, senior Israeli official says

Trump cut off contact with Netanyahu: Israeli media

  • US & Canada
  • 9 May 2025
Pakistan downs an Indian jet and hits a military base in Kashmir escalation.

Pakistan downs 3 Indian jets, hits military base in Kashmir escalation

  • Politics
  • 7 May 2025
A Yemeni gunman walks past paintings depicting rockets and scenes in solidarity with Gaza, displayed on a roadside fence in Sanaa, Yemen, Monday, May 5, 2025 (AP)

Oman brokers US-Yemen ceasefire, Israelis in dark regarding deal

  • Politics
  • 6 May 2025
Saree

Yemeni Armed Forces target key Israeli sites, USS Truman

  • MENA
  • 7 May 2025

Coverage

All
Gaza prevails against genocide

Read Next

All
Lindsay Hoyle kept nearly 300 gifts as Commons Speaker
Politics

300 gifts later, Speaker Hoyle sparks questions on MPs gifts rules

Echoes of nuclear safety in the age of artificial super intelligence
Technology

AI firms urged to calculate catastrophe odds like Oppenheimer

UK Lawyers for Israel under fire over Gaza obesity remarks
Europe

Advocacy group slammed for calling Gaza starvation a fix for obesity

Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-N.J., speaks with an officer demanding she be let into the ICE Detention office after the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Friday, May 9, 2025, in Newark, N.J. (AP)
Politics

Tensions escalate: DHS may arrest Congress members over ICE incident

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS