Israeli Knesset advances bill to deport family members of Palestinian attackers

Israel's Knesset Committee has approved the preliminary reading of a draft law which would allow family members of Palestinians who carry out attacks against Israelis to be deported.

The bill passed the preliminary stage on Tuesday, meaning it must also pass a second and third reading and a final vote before it will enter into law.

Representatives of Israel's national security service Shin Bet reportedly attended Tuesday's closed Knesset debate on the bill and expressed support for such measures applying to Palestinian parents of attackers but not to their siblings, children or wives.

They claimed deporting the parents of perpetrators of armed attacks from the country could form an "effective deterrent" if imposed on parents who knew – or "should have known" - about any operation against Israel. However, they did not support it with regards to the perpetrators siblings, children or wives.

Meanwhile, MKs from the extremist Otzma Yehudit ("Jewish Power") party which is part of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling coalition demanded all family members be removed, and that there be no difference between treatment of siblings, children, wives and parents.

The draft law was proposed by MK Hanoch Dov Milwidsky from the Likud Party along with other MKs from the coalition.

The bill would confer Israel's interior minister with the power to expel a family member of an individual who carried out an attack if they had "expressed support or sympathy for the act of terrorism or published praise, admiration, or encouragement".

It states that "several studies carried out by the National Security Council and the Israeli army over the years about dozens of suicide bombers have shown that the one fear they have is for the fate of their family members after the operation".

The rationale for the proposed law continues: "Many attackers will refrain from carrying out operations if they know that their family members will be punished as a result. The judiciary agrees that demolishing the perpetrator's home is a [valid] legal measure.

"Unfortunately, this is not sufficient and does not serve as an adequate deterrent. There is no doubt that by expelling family members, the deterrent effect will be complete." 

According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, under the proposed law, Israeli citizens could be deported for at least seven years and up to 15 years, while non-citizens may face deportation for a minimum of ten years and up to 20 years.

This article is based on an article which appeared in Arab48 by Bilal Daher on 29 October 2024. To read the original article click here.

Translated by Rose Chacko