Israel's high court says Palestinian Jerusalemites native born residents

Israel’s high court ruled that Palestinian Jerusalemites are native born residents and must not be treated as immigrants, Radio Israel reported. 

"When the interior minister must examine a request to restore a permanent residency to a resident of East Jerusalem, they must consider the special circumstances of these residents – that as opposed to immigrants seeking status – they have a strong affinity to the place where they live, as people born in this area – and sometimes even their parents and grandparents were born there – and where they have enjoyed family and communal life for years," one of the judges of the court said.

The move comes after the court ruled to restore the residency rights of Jerusalem-born Palestinian Akram Abd al-Haqq, who had lived outside of Jerusalem for over a dozen years, setting a precedent for residency rights of Palestinian Jerusalemites, who for decades have had their residencies revoked for living outside of Jerusalem.

Lawyer Adi Lustigman said it's the first time the court recognizes the special ties of Palestinians to their native city.

Source: MENA