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Cabinet Communique |
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| (12/05/2002) |
At the weekly Cabinet meeting today (Sunday), 12.5.2002:
1. Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer and OC Intelligence Maj.-Gen.
Aharon Zeevy Farkash briefed the Cabinet on the Palestinian arena in the
wake of Operation "Defensive Shield."
Defense Minister Ben-Eliezer referred to last week's severe terrorist
attack in Rishon Letzion.
In regard to the action that had been planned, Defense Minister
Ben-Eliezer said that the State of Israel had entered into a detailed
public media discussion on the IDF's operational planning and added that
this was unnecessary, damaging and liable to put lives at risk.
Defense Minister Ben-Eliezer said that the security establishment was
constantly assessing the situation and are keeping all operational
options open.
Defense Minister Ben-Eliezer discussed the conclusion of events at the
Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Furthermore, he emphasized the
fact that, on a nightly basis, the IDF holds a series of initiated
actions, which are obtaining very important achievements in foiling
attacks and detaining fugitives.
2. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon briefed the Cabinet on his visit to the
US and his meeting with US President George W. Bush. The Prime Minister
reviewed the issues he raised with President Bush, Vice-President
Richard Cheney, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of State
Colin Powell and National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice.
Prime Minister Sharon noted that his visit took place in a friendly and
cordial atmosphere and added that it had been planned and carried out
very well.
3. The Cabinet decided to approve Interior Minister Eli Yishai's
proposal regarding the presence of illegal aliens in Israel, and the
family unification policy for residents of the Palestinian Authority.
I. The Israel Police, Interior Ministry, security sources and other
relevant government ministries will act to enforce and prevent the
presence and settlement in Israel of illegal residents from the
Palestinian Authority.
II. The Interior Ministry and other relevant government ministries will
formulate a new policy to deal with family reunification requests, and
until such new policy is formulated, the following rules will apply: No
new requests by residents of the Palestinian Authority for legal status
as a resident, or any other status, will be accepted; requests submitted
will not be approved, and the foreign spouse will be required to remain
outside Israel until such time as a different decision is reached.
During the interim period, the validity of authorizations that have
already been issued will be extended, in the absence of any
circumstances to prevent it.
The new policy will include the following principles:
? Requests by those who have broken the entry laws in to Israel will not
be dealt with, and the offender will be deported from Israel.
? Security or criminal criteria for preventing entry and provision of
legal status in Israel will be more stringent.
? For applicants whose request has been denied, a minimum length of time
will be established for an application may be resubmitted.
? Rules regarding the prevention of entry and provision of legal status
in Israel of spouses from fictitious or polygamous marriages, as well as
children from prior marriages and other relations, will be more
stringent.
? Revocation of legal status in Israel for whoever received their legal
status through the family unification process based on criminal activity
and anti-state activity after receiving their legal status.
? Whoever received legal status in Israel in the framework of a family
unification request, or other manner, will not have the right to request
family unification for any other relative.
Interior Minister Yishai will, in the framework of formulating the new
policy, examine the possibility of establishing yearly quotas for family
unification authorizations, and the need for required legislative
amendments for implementation of the above decisions. Furthermore, the
creation of an immigration authority within the Interior Ministry will
be hastened.
In summarizing the issue, Prime Minister Sharon noted that this is a
national mission, and implementation of the decision must start
immediately.
Prime Minister Sharon directed that actions based on this decision will
also include dealing with those who fraudulently obtained legal status
in Israel.
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