Israel's Supreme Court allows continuation of ban on Palestinian spouses

Eleven judges of the Israeli Supreme Court decided in a narrowly split vote [6 in favor, 5 against] this week [on 11 January] to continue a ban that has been in effect since 2003, during the height of the Second Palestinian Intifada, on allowing Palestinian spouses to reside legally with their Israeli husbands or wives [and their children] inside Israel.

A Haaretz editorial on 13 January stated that: “In a 2006 ruling, 6 out of 11 justices said the law was unconstitutional, and in the current ruling, 6 out of 11 justices said the law, which was made more strict after the first ruling, was constitutional. That’s a disappointing outcome, in part because the first ruling was made not long after the terror attacks of the second intifada, while the current ruling was made during a period of calm, due in part to coordination between Israel and the Palestinian Authority…”

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