Israel says Jerusalem Hamas members risk expulsion

Mon May 29, 4:31 PM ET

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel plans to revoke the Jerusalem residency of four Palestinian lawmakers aligned with Hamas unless they quit the group or resign their seats, an Israeli cabinet minister said on Monday.

Speaking on Israel's Channel 2 television, Interior Minister Ronnie Bar-On said he had sent letters to the lawmakers on Monday giving them 30 days to do as he demanded.

Islamic militant group Hamas, which took office in March after winning Palestinian elections, is formally committed to destroying the Jewish state.

"Either resign or else you will not live among us ... I sent out the letters today and these will be delivered by hand and they have 30 days to make their decisions," Bar-On said.

If enforced, the decision is set to affect Minister of State Khaled Abu Arafa who is listed as an independent, and three other lawmakers including Mohammed Abu Teir, a well known politician with a bright orange beard.

Israel captured Arab East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East War and annexed it in a move not recognized internationally. Palestinians want it as the capital of a future state they seek in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Israel gives residency to Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem, which affords them many rights not open to fellow Palestinians who live in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

In the event that the four are expelled, their Israeli identity cards will be revoked and they will lose those rights.

Despite carrying out nearly 60 suicide bombings against Israelis since a Palestinian uprising erupted in 2000, Hamas has largely abided by a ceasefire for over a year. It has rejected Western pressure to recognize Israel, renounce violence and accept past peace accords, however.

A senior West Bank Hamas official who did not want his identity revealed said Israel was using its powers unfairly.

"Israel is using blackmail to force Hamas to make concessions, this is against international law," he said.

The Hamas official added that Israel could easily have moved to arrest any of the four men during the parliamentary election campaign earlier this year.

"Why didn't they arrest them when they saw them?" he asked.

(Additional reporting by Mohammed Assadi in Ramallah)

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