Daughter of Prominent Palestinian Activist Faces

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 001224 SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE, IPA; CA FOR CA/OCS/ACS/NESCA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CASC PREL IS KWBG KPAL SUBJECT: Daughter of Prominent Palestinian Activist Faces Loss of Jerusalem Residency REFTEL: Jerusalem 1190 ¶1. Zeina Hutchison, a U.S. legal permanent resident and daughter of prominent Palestinian legislator and human rights activist Hanan Ashrawi, contacted Post July 9 to report the problems she had encountered when entering Israel with her Israeli Travel Document (carrying a tourist visa) at Ben Gurion Airport on July 9. Recommendation at Para 6. ¶2. The GoI recently revoked Ms. Hutchison's residency status and travel documents on the basis of a GOI policy of revoking the Jerusalem resident status and laissez passer of anyone who acquires immigrant status or citizenship in another country (reftel). When Ms. Hutchison went to the Israeli Embassy to renew her laissez passer, the request was refused and her Jerusalem ID cancelled. In a rare reversal, once it appeared the case would receive significant media attention, the Embassy issued her a new laissez passer for travel but did not restore her Jerusalem ID. ¶3. According to Ms. Hutchison, she and her ten-month old American citizen son arrived at Ben Gurion Airport July 9. She was traveling on her laissez passer bearing a three-month tourist visa from the Embassy of Israel in Washington; her son had a U.S. passport, also with a three-month tourist visa. The immigration official reviewed the travel documents and asked Ms. Hutchison to take her son and step aside while she made some inquiries. The official returned and asked for Ms. Hutchison's U.S passport. When Ms. Hutchison said she did not have one, the official said she and her child would not be permitted to enter Israel, because "we instructed you to get a U.S. passport." Ms. Hutchison told ConOff that she explained to the immigration official that the GoI agreed to give her a new laissez passer in Washington, D.C. When the immigration official told Ms. Hutchison that she would have to go to the Ministry of Interior to resolve the issue if permitted to enter, she responded that resolving her residency issue with the Ministry was one of the purposes for her visit. ¶4. Approximately two hours later, the immigration official returned the travel documents, according to Ms. Hutchison, stating "You are leaving in two weeks." The three-month tourist visa in each passport was stamped to authorize a two-week maximum stay. Ms. Hutchison told ConOff that, at that point, she decided to take the documents and leave the airport for Ramallah. ¶5. Ms. Hutchison emphasized to ConOff her strong frustration with feeling forced to accept a three-month tourist visa ("to my own home") and with having nearly been denied entry. Ms. Hutchison expressed concern that this incident represented a renewed effort by the GoI to deny her residency, nothing that at least she is fortunate to have connections to help her; whereas, many others in similar situations are being stripped of their residency without recourse (reftel). ¶6. Post recommends that the USG engage with the GOI to seek the restoration of her status as a Jerusalem resident.