Can Israeli citizenship be revoked and under what circumstances?

Citizenship is one of the key aspects of any country’s public policy. This is not just a way to take advantage of all the advantages of the country, but also to have a proud status. And the Israeli document is appreciated on the world stage. The country’s political and legal system is considered to be one of its unique features, but there are also universal rules regarding citizenship. As in many countries, the document can be cancelled, but strictly under certain conditions. As a rule, if a number of rules or requirements are not met. And these are rules not only from the legal field. Some political and ethical factors may also influence. Let’s look at all the aspects. So, can israeli citizenship be revoked?

Legal framework for Israeli citizenship revocation

The country’s legislation clearly and strictly regulates the methods and reasons for cancellation. But only by decision of the authorities and only under certain conditions. The country has established legal norms, and only they decide when an operation can be performed and when a decision can be appealed.

There are also some other acts that specify the factors that affect the cancellation of the status. By the way, this not only makes it easier to work in light cases, as in the case when a person decided to give up for their own reasons. The main reasons are considered to be security concerns and violation of the law. But all this is happening on the initiative of the state, and only for clear reasons that have evidence.

Grounds for revocation: breach of loyalty and terrorism

Cancellation decisions are not made out of the blue. You can’t just attach a couple of papers and you’re done. There must be clear and proven grounds. And all of them should be based on the laws of the country. Losing citizenship is actually not so easy. If you do not break the law and follow all the rules and regulations of the country, then most likely there will be no problems. But the main reasons may be:

• Violation of loyalty. National security is the foundation of the country, and everything is uncompromising here. If a person has committed actions that violate the basics of security, then this is already a 100% reason for cancellation. If at least there are doubts, then such cases are considered especially carefully. They don’t just revoke citizenship on suspicion, but they check everything carefully. There are no rewards here. Espionage or support for enemies of the state is already very serious and dangerous.
• Terrorism and extremism. These are also factors on which the security of the country depends, and therefore everything is very strict here again. Terrorism cannot be justified because it threatens people’s lives and health. If a person is suspected of such actions, even indirectly, even as support, then the cancellation can be accepted immediately. Even radical ideologies and propaganda of violence can be the causes. The proceedings in such cases take a long time, as all aspects of the case are raised and considered. But most of these cases still lead to the fact that the status is taken away.
• Dual citizenship. There is no ban on holding two passports in the country, but there are some restrictions. There is a strictly regulated list, which indicates the countries where you can have a second document, and possession in other countries may lead to the cancellation of the Israeli one. For example, if there is a state of war or strained relations, it is better to abandon the second document. Otherwise, cancellation may occur by court order. In general, it is better to check which additional documents are allowed, so that two situations do not arise later.

Each of the above reasons can greatly affect the status in the country, and sometimes even lead to cancellation. It will be very difficult to restore, even if not impossible. So you should not joke with such aspects, but be careful.

Revocation procedures and due process

It should be understood that this procedure is strictly regulated by law, so it should also be carried out clearly in compliance with several legal processes. It is impossible to violate at least one of them, since in this case the deprivation of the right may be considered illegal.

1. The decision of the Minister of Internal Affairs. The Ministry of the Interior is the body that plays a key role in the cancellation process. It is from this organ that initiation begins and all aspects pass through this department. Only the Minister makes a decision after reviewing all the evidence, arguments and documents provided confirming violations. It may be a loss of loyalty or participation in terrorist activities, but everything must be reasoned. No one will believe a “word”, so the evidence is being prepared carefully. And that is why in most cases the minister makes a positive decision on cancellation.
2. The right to appeal. The country’s legislation works in such a way that anyone can prove their innocence of the actions they were accused of. And after making a decision on deprivation, he has the right to appeal to the Supreme Court of Justice, which is considered the local Court of Human Rights. And already in court, all the evidence will be reviewed once again, including the arguments of the former citizen himself. And then the final decision will be made.
3. The notification process. The standard procedure is to send a notification to the person whose citizenship has been taken away. The notification indicates not only the decision, but also the justified reasons for which such a decision was made. Although there are cases when the procedure is dispensed with without notification, for example, when an immediate decision is required. These are usually cases where the security of the country is threatened.

Notable cases and precedents

Despite the loyalty of the country and the positive attitude towards obtaining citizenship, even if it is the second one, there have been many cases when a decision was made to revoke it. And many of these cases have become precedents for other cases, as their conditions are practically similar.

And after this case, cases were initiated, after which several citizens who were Palestinian activists supported terrorist sentiments. Such cases have already passed faster. The above cases once again speak to Israel’s clear and strict criticism of security. Such issues are not subject to discussion. And any such actions are strictly punishable by law, and one of the punitive measures is the cancellation of a passport.

Impact on affected individuals and communities

Losing your passport is not just about losing your status and document. Such a decision leads to many negative consequences that can be felt not only in the foreseeable future, but also immediately after the deprivation of this status. So, what should we expect after the document has been selected?

• Loss of rights and freedoms. All the rights that are prescribed in the legislation of the country immediately disappear. These are not only basic rights, but also education, work and medicine. All of this is no longer available at any level.
• Emigration and deportation. A person may be deported immediately after losing their passport. For example, to a country where he already has citizenship.
• Social and economic consequences. Many social benefits also become closed, and not only for the person himself, but also for his family if they stay in the country. Problems with housing, education, and social benefits may also become unavailable.

The consequences are really serious, and it won’t be possible to solve them, so it’s worth anticipating such consequences in advance. In principle, if you don’t break the law, you won’t just be stripped of your passport and all your privileges.

International perspectives and human rights considerations

Many international organizations often criticize the country for having a practice of revoking citizenship. For example, the UN believes that this violates basic human rights.

The main criticism is that sometimes a person finds himself completely stateless, which means he has nowhere to go or live in another country. But here in Israel, he no longer has any privileges or protections from the state. According to human rights activists, such a twofold situation has a negative impact not only on human life, but also on the country’s reputation.

But if we look at the situation in a different way, then cancellation is not just someone’s desire or whim. This is one of the ways to protect national security. And the whole procedure is absolutely honest and transparent, so there is no risk that someone will fall under the law for no reason. Plus, it’s worth adding that this is not such a private measure, but only in the most emergency situations, so not everyone falls under the law. So, cancellation is a unique practice that allows you to deprive a citizen of a passport due to certain conditions. These measures are taken for security reasons, although not universally approved.