Supreme Court justices and president Esther Hayut arrive to the courtroom of the Supreme Court in Jerusalem. Photo: Yonatan Sindel/Flash90.
i24 News – Israel’s High Court of Justice will hold an urgent hearing within seven days on a petition filed against the government’s policy toward refugees fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The petition seeks to block Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked’s directive to cap the number of refugees not eligible for citizenship at 25,000.
The state asked the High Court Sunday evening to dismiss the petition against its refugee policy.
Ukraine’s embassy in Israel is backing the petition, with the appeal arguing that the refugee limit violates bilateral agreements and international treaties and that Shaked made the decision without proper authority.
The policy quota includes 20,000 Ukrainian refugees already in the country at the start of the Russian invasion plus 5,000 allowed entry.
To qualify for the exemption, a relative must sign a form saying that the refugee will stay with them for a month or two.
As of Sunday morning, 7,179 Ukrainian nationals have arrived in Israel since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, and 221 were refused entry, according to statistics published by the Population and Border Authority. The number includes those who are eligible for citizenship under the Law of Return.
