Israel/Palestine: Whether Palestinians, with Palestine Authority passports and Canadian Visitor Visas, would currently have difficulty returning to the Palestine Authority through Israel (after coming to Canada via Israel); if so, whether there would be such a difficulty returning through Jordan

According to a public relations officer with the Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group (PHRMG), assuming that the individual acquired the appropriate return permit from the Israeli Ministry of Interior, a Palestinian who left Israel via Israel (i.e. Ben Gurion airport) should have no problem returning through the point of exit (20 Dec. 2001).

The director of the Gaza office of the Palestinian Independent Commission for Citizen's Rights (PICCR) stated the while there may be some procedural difficulties, a Palestinian with a valid Palestinian passport and identification would not be barred from returning to the West Bank or Gaza Strip via the Tel Aviv airport (24 Dec. 2001).

The coordinator of the legal unit of Badil Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights stated that, assuming that there are no "security grounds" for Israel to exclude entry, an individual holding a Palestine Authority travel document "should normally be granted entry by the Israelis at Ben-Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv (28 Dec. 2001). The coordinator stressed that the term "Palestine Authority passport" is a misnomer, since the Palestine Authority does not constitute a state and therefore does not have sovereign jurisdiction upon which to issue actual "passports" (ibid.). The coordinator further noted that, "Israeli authorities use the 'security grounds' basis for exclusion widely and without any type of judicial review;" therefore, it is impossible to define what constitutes valid "security grounds" for exclusion and denial of entry at Ben Gurion Airport (ibid.). Excluded persons are normally put back on the plane and sent back to the country from which the flight originated (ibid.).

A representative of the Israeli Embassy in Ottawa stated that a Palestinian travelling on a Palestine Authority passport must always return to the Palestine Authority via the same route that was taken upon departure (18 Dec. 2001). Therefore, if an individual left through Israel, he/she must return through Israel (ibid.). Likewise if the departure point was made through Egypt or Jordan, re-entry must be made through Egypt or Jordan (ibid.).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Badil Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights, Bethlehem. 28 December 2001. Correspondence with the Coordinator of the Legal Unit.

Israeli Embassy, Ottawa. 18 December 2001. Telephone interview with a representative.

Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group (PHRMG), East Jerusalem. 20 December 2001. Correspondence with a public relations officer.

Palestinian Independent Commission for Citizens' Rights (PICCR), Al-Rimal. 24 December 2001. Correspondence from the Director of the Gaza Office.

Additional Sources Consulted

IRB databases

LEXIS/NEXIS

Internet sites including:

Al-Awda, Palestinian Right to Return Coalition

The Alternative Information Center

The Arab Association for Human Rights

Ha'aretz

The Palestinian Information Center

The Palestinian Refugee and Diaspora Centre

The Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment

World News Connection (WNC)

Search Engines:

Google

Lycos