Israel revoked residency of 4,577 Palestinians in East Jerusalem

Israel stripped a record 4,577 Arabs of their residency rights in East Jerusalem in 2008, equaling almost 35 per cent of all such cases since the Jewish state took control of the area in 1967.

Israel's Interior Ministry revoked the residency of these East Jerusalem Arabs last year, 'Ha'aretz' daily reported.

Among the 4,577 Arabs deprived of their residency were 99 minors under the age of 18.

In the first 40 years of Israeli rule over East Jerusalem, the ministry deprived 8,558 Arabs of their residency rights, which is less than double the number of those who lost their permits in 2008 alone, the report said.

The ministry said the sharp increase in the numbers stem from the its decision to probe legal status of thousands of East Jerusalem residents in March and April, 2008.

[Source: Harinder Mishra, Press Trust of India]

For background: Legal status of East Jerusalem and its residents (B'Tselem)

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