As we all know, the world is grappling with the Coronavirus pandemic. Many questions have arisen regarding the entry of foreigner nationals (neither Israeli citizens nor Palestinian I.D. holders) to the West Bank, their residence in the West Bank, and their exit from the West Bank.
Our office, representing many foreign nationals living in the West Bank, wrote to the Civil Administration and COGAT on March 24, 2020, demanding that visas held by such foreigners be renewed automatically until the end of the Corona state of emergency.
We also demanded that such foreigners requesting to leave the Occupied Territories be permitted to do so via Israeli border crossings, including the Ben Gurion Airport. Our request was made as visas held by these foreigners limit travel to the West Bank only and prohibit exit via Israeli border crossings. We demanded that foreigners be allowed to cross via Israel without having to first submit a special request to travel – a process that may take weeks. We also asked that exiting via Israel would not later be viewed as a violation of the terms of their visa.
We demanded that in the present state of emergency, the following groups of foreigners should not be prohibited from entry into the West Bank: family members of Palestinians, foreign workers, persons who arranged their entry in advance, and persons holding a valid visa or visitor license. The entry of these classes of foreigners are essential so as not to severely damage the right to family life, freedom of occupation, and the fabric of everyday life in the West Bank. Lastly, we requested that in light of the rigid restrictions upon entering Jordan (specifically the closing of the Queen Alia International Airport in Jordan), these foreigners be permitted to enter the Occupied Territories via Israeli border crossings, including Ben Gurion Airport, under the restrictions in place.
We are awaiting a response from the Civil Administration and COGAT.
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