The Knesset Interior Committee on Monday approved a bill that permits the interior minister to revoke the citizenship of a traitor or a terrorist, anyone who acted contrary to one’s national allegiance. Now that the committee approved the bill, it is ready for its final readings in Knesset.

In the bill’s first reading in Knesset, 9 MKs supported it while 3 opposed. Opposing the bill were MKs Dov Khenin (Chadash), Ibrahim Sarsur (Ta’al), and Yossi Beilin (Meretz).

The bill, if passed into law, will permit the interior minister to revoke the citizenship of anyone who commits and act of terror or is affiliated with a terrorist organization, or is found guilty of treason or espionage.

One of the stipulations of the bill is that if one has citizenship less than two years, the minister can act on his own but if one is a citizen for longer than 24 months, the matter must be brought before a court.

Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit is expected to file to make the window five years from the proposed two years.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)