"Israeli" lawmakers vote to deport Palestinians accused of "terrorism" to Gaza

The Israeli Knesset passed a new law permitting the government to deport family members of Palestinians accused of “terrorist” activities to Gaza or other locations, with the measure applying even to Arab citizens of "Israel".

The legislation, proposed by Hanoch Milwidsky of the Likud Party led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, empowers the interior minister to deport close relatives of alleged attackers, including parents, siblings, and spouses, if they are found to have “expressed support” or failed to report information about the accused’s activities.

Under the new law, deportations would last seven years for "Israeli" citizens and ten years for residents of the territories occupied by "Israel" in 1967.

The bill, which passed with 61 votes in favor and 41 against, is expected to face significant legal challenges.

This law is likely to be reviewed by "Israel’s" Supreme Court, where legal experts believe it may face serious opposition. Eran Shamir-Borer, a researcher at the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) and former legal advisor to the "Israeli" military, stated that the law appears to violate constitutional principles and could be overturned based on prior deportation rulings. "It’s fundamentally at odds with Israel’s core values," Shamir-Borer commented.

The law arrives amidst ongoing tensions around "Israel’s" occupation of Palestinian territories, a situation condemned by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and other international bodies. "Israel" has controlled the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem since the 1967 Arab-"Israeli" War, in addition to the Syrian Golan Heights and Shebaa Farms in Lebanon. "Israel" formally annexed East Jerusalem in 1980, a move not recognized by the international community, as Palestinians assert East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.

In a statement earlier this year, the ICJ reiterated that "Israel’s" occupation of Palestinian territories violates international law and should end without delay, a stance that the UK government recently endorsed.

This new policy also highlights broader issues faced by Palestinian citizens of "Israel", who comprise about 20 percent of the population and include descendants of those who remained after the Nakba. Often referred to as “Arab Israelis,” these citizens face systemic discrimination in areas such as education, employment, and healthcare, according to reports from human rights organizations.

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have stated that "Israel’s" treatment of Palestinians meets the threshold of apartheid, with racial inequalities and restrictions across public services.