2. Right To Enter is a grassroots Campaign for the protection of foreign passport holders residing in or visiting the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt)

3. Who We Are
We are a volunteer group of individuals and families affected by the current Israeli occupation authorities' policy regarding entry and residing in the oPt

4. The ENTRY ISSUE Entry Denial Who is affected?
Visa / permit / residency

5. Entry Denial
The Israeli occupation authorities are systematically and/or arbitrarily denying entry or re-entry to the oPt via the exclusively Israeli controlled borders:
Ben Gurion Airport Allenby Bridge Sheikh Hussein Bridge Taba Bridge Eilat

6. Who Is Affected?
Residents of and visitors to the OPT (Gaza Strip and West Bank/East Jerusalem) who do not hold a Palestinian ID issued by the Israeli Ministry of Interior
Israeli issued Palestinian ID: No more than a temporary and at any time revocable permit of residence. Based on no rights.

7. Who is being denied entry?
Immediate and Extended family (support system and social security)
Professionals and experts
Educators and students
Investors and businessmen
Tourists
Clergy and charity
INGO and NGO staff (B1/B2 visas)

8. Visa/permit/residency issue
Family unification and population registry
Ethnic discrimination
PA only visa
Duration of visas and permits
Consequences

9. Family unification The Israeli Occupation Authorities determine whether or not you are a Palestinian whether or not you exist
Palestinian ID is a personal identification document issued by Israel for Palestinian residents and their children living in the West Bank and Gaza Strip
Israel controls the population registry of the occupied Palestinian population, determining who has a legal identity: No births, marriages or deaths are recognized unless recorded by Israeli computers

10. Ethnic Discrimination
A TOURIST VISA is issued to citizens of Western countries
An entry PERMIT is issued to citizens of Arab countries and non-Western countries
Foreign nationals of Palestinian/Arab descent or carrying names similar to Arab names are favorite targets for denied entry treatment
Collective punishment is imposed on Palestinians whose relatives have ‘overstayed’ their visa

11. PA only visas Limit the access to the West Bank areas B and C
Do not allow to visit East Jerusalem
In contrast, some visitors are issued “Israel only” visas, preventing them from visiting family and friends in the West Bank

12. Duration of visas and permits
Israeli authorities are issuing visas of shorter duration to those intending to travel to, work and/or reside in the oPt
The duration of visas issued to those granted entry is determined without clear reason or explanation
Permit and visa validity ends upon exit from Israel

13. Consequences Families are torn apart
Fear of a subsequent denial of entry has caused Palestinian foreign passport holders to forgo - health care treatments - family visits - education & training - economic development activities

14. Consequences
Palestinian investors and business people from the Diaspora are discouraged from building their country
Brain drain: educated Palestinian youth will seek a more secure life in more “appreciative” host countries
Foreign experts in health, education and development are discouraged from coming to the oPt

15. What does the Campaign do?
1- Collect evidence and document cases of entry denial and deportations 2- Generate and disseminate documents: position papers; monthly updates; press releases; generic and personal letters of appeal against Israeli practices

16. 3- Mobilize action against the Israeli practice of family separation and denying entry to foreign experts and supporters to the oPt with
Palestinian Authority (president and relevant officials) and educational institutions
Third State Representatives, Quartet, special missions - more recently: PA-only visas, B1/B2 visas

17. Human Rights Organizations
Faith-based institutions (clergy)
International Organizations (Amnesty International, UN - Access and Movement)

18. 4- Reach out to and mobilize the local community and affected persons to stand up for their rights
5- Publicize the issue through national and international media  channels
6- Launch an international legal and political campaign to stop and reverse these  Israeli policies and practices:

19. We urge Third States to promote Israel's compliance with International Humanitarian Law to protect the Palestinian population
under occupation
Immediate halt to Israel’s arbitrary and abusive practice of denying entry to foreign nationals traveling to the oPt
Vigorous scrutiny to cases of denied entry and denied residency in the oPt

20. … and to promote the
Duty of all states not to acquiesce to internationally unlawful acts by Israel
Reciprocity of treatment of nationals: treatment accorded Israeli nationals seeking to enter third countries must be reciprocated to their own nationals seeking to enter Israel or the oPt

21. Campaign Achievements
publicizing the entry issues through local and international media – print, TV and radio

23. Achievements… more
“Israeli Committee for Residency Rights” / ICRR, supports the Campaign by
Meeting with foreign missions in Tel Aviv
Raising awareness and lobbying with Israeli politicians on the issue
Mobilizing Israeli educators to support the right to education in the oPt

24. Achievements… more
Joint demarches by foreign missions with Israeli MOFA
Israeli MOFA to respond in writing to foreign embassies Encouraging denied persons to repeat entry attempts when denied…often successful

25. Achievements … more
Israeli CoGAT to respond in writing to the Palestinian Authority (reversal of last permits)
Family unification process was resumed – temporarily at least – and some 35,000 families are back together
Persons denied entry protest and return ……. often successful!

26. The challenge remains Join the Campaign for the Right to Enter!