Minister of Interior Moshe Shapiro told a press conference here today that the Isarel Government will continue its liberal policy regarding those persons desiring to leave Israel permanently.
As long as defense regulations and the treasury are not affected. Mr. Shapiro said, the government will freely issue exit visas to citizens. He added that Israeli passports are ready and everyone who is entitled to a passport, and desiring it, can get one soon.
Mr. Shapiro, in outlining the government’s immigration and citizenship policy, revealed that the government was resuming, as soon as possible, the registration of Arabs desiring to join their families within the framework of the unification of Arab families. He denied allegations of discrimination against Arabs in the citizenship law, stating that over 95 percent of the Arab inhabitants in Israel now enjoy automatic citizenship.
The Interior Minister said that 3,113 Arab applications to join their families had been approved during 1950, but only 1,965 Arabs arrived in Israel, while the others apparently had been prevented by the government of the countries where they reside. Egypt seems to be the most unwilling country to allow the Arabs to come to Israel. He said that the Arabs from regions recently added to Israel will be able, in due course, to obtain Israel citizenship in the same manner as others who have recently arrived.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
