Center for the Defence of the Individual - Israel requires Palestinians seeking to travel abroad to first pledge in writing not to meet their sons who were released from prison and deported to Gaza or elsewhere as part of the Shalit exchange deal: a High Court petition on behalf of a couple that refuses to pledge not to meet their son in Jordan is scheduled for a hearing in July 2015
العربية HE wheel chair icon
חזרה לעמוד הקודם
18.03.2015

Israel requires Palestinians seeking to travel abroad to first pledge in writing not to meet their sons who were released from prison and deported to Gaza or elsewhere as part of the Shalit exchange deal: a High Court petition on behalf of a couple that refuses to pledge not to meet their son in Jordan is scheduled for a hearing in July 2015

In October 2011, Israel struck a deal for the release of captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. Some of the Palestinian prisoners released as part of the deal were removed to Gaza or deported to foreign countries. Lately, HaMoked has been handling an increasing number of cases where residents of the West Bank who are siblings and parents of Shalit deal deportees are being denied foreign travel by Israel.

Shortly after the deal was concluded, Israel acknowledged the right of the released deportees' relatives to visit their loved ones in the Gaza Strip, but insisted that the visitors would not reach Gaza through Erez Crossing – the short and simple route from the West Bank to Gaza via Israel – but instead travel from the West Bank via Allenby Bridge Crossing to Jordan and on to Egypt and enter Gaza through Rafah Crossing (unopened for a long time now). Moreover, in December 2012, during proceedings in HaMoked's petition on behalf of a Palestinian from the West Bank whom Israel had banned from exiting abroad, the state presented for the first time an outrageous demand – requiring that the woman sign a written undertaking not to visit during her trip her brother, released in the Shalit deal and deported to Gaza.

Since then, others have been required by the Israel to sign such a pledge – this, without the state formally announcing it retracted its previous policy. Thus, for example, happened during proceedings in a petition filed on behalf on an elderly couple from the West Bank prohibited by Israel from leaving for Jordan to visit their relatives there and explore the possibility of the husband receiving medical treatment in Jordan: the state notified the couple that their departure would only be allowed if they pledged not to meet their son, released and removed to Gaza as part of the Shalit deal. The couple openly wished to see their son, and refused to sign the declaration. The petition is scheduled for a hearing in July 2015.