Palestinian Authority Arabs living in the neighborhoods of Tzur Baher and Hado’ar living on the Israeli side of the security fence are to be “gifted” with Israeli citizenship. The Arabs, several thousand in number, will be eligible to vote and will receive National Insurance and other benefits that come with Israeli citizenship.

The Arabs will receive citizenship based on a recommendation by the State Attorney, based on several lawsuits currently being adjudicated in labor courts in Jerusalem, in which Arab workers are demanding rights based on their status as employees within Israel. The lawsuits were brought by Arabs living on either side of the security fence.

After research, the State Attorney said, it was decided that the fact that Arabs lived on the Israeli side of the fence and worked inside Israel were sufficient grounds to make them Israeli citizens. These Arabs have been living on the Israeli side of the fence before it was built.

According to the State Attorney, the facts of their residence and work situation would be sufficient to grant them rights identical to those of Israeli citizens in nearly every legal situation. As such, granting them citizenship would confer upon them not only the rights, but also the obligations, of Israeli citizenship, the State Attorney said.