Israel passes controversial law to deport relatives of 'terrorists'

The Israeli parliament has granted final approval to contentious legislation enabling the government to deport family members of individuals classified as “terrorists,” including Israeli citizens, to the Gaza Strip and other locations.

The law was passed by a vote of 61 to 41 in the Knesset, following two required final readings. Sponsored by Hanoch Milwidsky of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, the legislation empowers the interior minister to deport first-degree relatives of alleged attackers if they are deemed to have “expressed support or identification” with acts of terrorism or failed to report such information.

Al Jazeera's Nour Odeh reported from Amman, stating, “All Palestinian factions are labelled as terrorist organisations by Israel,” and noted that any expression of sympathy for Gaza victims is often classified as support for terrorism.

The law will also apply to residents of occupied East Jerusalem, but its applicability to the occupied West Bank remains unclear. While Israeli citizens could face deportation, they would retain their citizenship even after expulsion.

The legislation allows suspects to present a defence during hearings convened by the interior minister, who has 14 days to decide on a deportation order. Individuals expelled could be sent to Gaza or other destinations for periods ranging from 7 to 15 years for citizens and 10 to 20 years for legal residents.

The law is expected to face legal challenges, with Eran Shamir-Borer from the Israel Democracy Institute stating it may be deemed unconstitutional if brought before the Supreme Court.

“The bottom line is this is completely non-constitutional and a clear conflict with Israel’s core values,” he said.

In a related measure, the Knesset approved a five-year temporary order allowing for prison sentences for minors under 14 convicted of murder linked to terrorism.

Proponents, including far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, passed the legislation while ensuring it encompassed all immediate family members of alleged terrorists.

Additionally, a new law granting the Ministry of Education authority to dismiss teachers identifying with “terrorist acts” was approved, targeting Palestinian schools in occupied East Jerusalem and those run by Palestinian citizens of Israel.

These legislative moves reflect an increasingly hardline stance by the Knesset, occurring shortly after lawmakers banned the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).

Israeli military operations since October 7, 2023, have reportedly resulted in over 43,000 Palestinian deaths in Gaza, with further casualties in the occupied West Bank and Lebanon.