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Israel Seeks to Strip Citizenship of Two Palestinian Citizens in First Test of 2023 Law

The government points to payments from a Palestinian Authority fund as the legal basis for revocation.

Overview

  • Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office filed court petitions to revoke the nationality of two men convicted of terrorism offenses and to seek their deportation.
  • Officials argue the severity of the crimes and alleged stipends from a Palestinian Authority program justify stripping citizenship under the 2023 statute.
  • One filing names Mohamad Hamad, a 48-year-old from east Jerusalem convicted in 2002 of shootings and weapons trafficking, whom the state says received related payments.
  • Adalah’s director Hassan Jabareen condemned the move as discriminatory and contrary to rule-of-law principles, saying it targets Palestinian citizens differently from Jewish Israelis.
  • The court has not ruled and no destination for deportation was specified, while rights groups warn the step would be rare internationally and could raise statelessness concerns.