The Israeli Ministerial Committee for Legislation approved Feb. 18 a draft law that would make it possible to revoke the residency status of Palestinians living in occupied East Jerusalem and Syrians living in the Golan Heights if they are found to be engaging in anti-Israel activities.

Ahmad Tibi, an Arab member of the Israeli Knesset, told Al-Monitor that the Israeli government is trying to bypass the courts. “The Israeli government didn’t like the decision of the High Court and therefore is trying to pass a law in order to bypass the court with the single aim of empowering the Interior Ministry to revoke the residency of Jerusalemites.”

Tibi said that the 13-member Arab Joint List in the Knesset will oppose what he called “this dangerous law” when it comes to a vote.

The legislative effort comes after the Israeli High Court ruled Sept. 13 against a decision by the Israeli attorney general to bar four Palestinians from their homes in Jerusalem. Three of the East Jerusalem residents — Muhammad Abu-Teir, Ahmad Attoun and Muhammad Totah — were elected to the Palestinian Legislative Council in 2006 on behalf of the pro-Hamas Change and Reform bloc, while the fourth — Khaled Abu Arafeh — was the minister for Jerusalem affairs during the short-lived Ismail Haniyeh government. The government had operated in both Ramallah and the Gaza Strip at the time.