A new law aimed at preventing the granting of Israeli citizenship or residency status to relatives of terrorists was approved Wednesday in its second and third readings in the Knesset plenum. The legislation received broad support from members of both the coalition and the opposition.
The law disqualifies the possibility of granting “family reunification” to relatives of terrorists, thereby blocking their entry into Israel.
The initiative was the result of a long campaign led by MK Amit Halevi (Likud), together with Merav and Herzl Hajaj, the parents of Lt. Shir Hajaj, who was murdered in a 2017 terrorist attack in the Armon HaNatziv neighborhood of Jerusalem. The law also grants legal authority to deport terrorists’ family members who have already received temporary status in Israel.
Merav and Herzl Hajaj said, “This law was born from deep pain, but it may save lives and prevent further tragedies.
This is another step in dismantling the terrorist infrastructure. The Supreme Court can no longer rule that entry for Palestinians who claim they want to unite with family is acceptable when their real motives to commit terror against Israel are overlooked. We can also hope that it may in some way act as a deterrent for those committing acts of terror.
The photo in this article shows MK Amit Halevi with AFSI Director Judy Freedman Kadish in the Knesset. AFSI’s May Chizuk Mission to Israel had a productive meeting with MK Halevi (and also MK Ohad Tal) at the Knesset.
Source:
Law approved: ‘No more gifts for terrorists’ families’, by Israel National News, July 10, 2025