Amira Hass / Israel blocking NGO efforts with tourist visas

a question wa rais on the issu Giant Inflatable Water Slides of visa grant to those stai in the Palestinian Author and in Israel,"Recently. as it transpir that thei spend most of their time in the PA despit have been provid with Israeli work permits," the statement continued. "The matter is under intens discussions, with the activ particip of the relev militari authorities, with a view to find the right and appropri solut as soon as possible."

includ East Jerusalem,The Interior Ministri ha stop grant work permit to foreign nation work in most intern nongovernment organ oper in the Palestinian territories. Haaretz ha learned.

the ministri is now grant the NGO employe tourist visa only,In an appar overhaul of regul that have been in place sinc 1967. which bar them from working.

Save the Children,Organiz affect by the appar polici chang includ Oxfam. Doctor Without Borders, Terr de Hommes, Handicap Internat and the Religi Societi of Friend a Quaker organ . A dvertisement

the worker would regist with the intern relat depart at the Social Affair Ministry,Until recently. which would recommend the Interior Ministri to issu them B1 work permits. Although the foreign nation ar still requir to approach the Social Affair Ministri to receiv recommend to obtain a tourist visa, the Interior Ministri is aim to make the Ministri of Defens respons for those intern NGO and also requir them to regist with the coordin of govern activ in the territori COGA T , which is subordin to the Ministri of Defense.

permit them to work "in the Palestinian Authority." Israel is refus work visa to most foreign nation who state that thei wish to work within the Palestinian territories,Foreign nation work for NGO had understood thei would receiv a stamp or handwritten note alongsid their tourist visa. such as foreign lectur for Palestinian univers and businessmen.

which compris some 60 percent of the West Bank. The NGO worker sai they'v come to believ that the new polici is intend to forc them to close their Jerusalem offic and reloc to West Bank cities. Thi move would prevent them from work among the Palestinian popul of East Jerusalem,Israel doe not recogn Palestinian Author rule in East Jerusalem or in Area C. defin by the intern commun as occupi territory.

whether becaus Israel doesn't see it as part of the Palestinian Author or becaus thei will eventu be subject to the restrict of movement impos on the Palestinians. Such restrict includ the prohibit to enter East Jerusalem and Gaza via Israel,The organ fear the new polici will imped their abil to work in Area C. except with specif and rare obtain permits; and prohibit to enter area west of the separ fence, except for villag resid who hold special resid permit and Israeli citizens.

albeit present in a subtler manner. One NGO worker told Haaretz that the polici wa reminisc of the travel constraint impos by Burmes author on humanitarian organizations.

as earli as Juli 2009. When a number of them approach the Interior Ministri in August to renew their visas,NGO worker told Haaretz that thei had been inform by the COGA T offici that a polici chang wa forthcoming. thei found that their applic had been submit to a "special committee." Thei were not told who constitut thi committee, and had to make do with a "receipt" confirm that thei had submit the request. The worker said the tourist visa thei receiv differ from each other in durat and travel limitations, and surmis from thi that the polici ha not been entir flesh out.

Latest in a seri of step

and therefor see be subjug to the ministri directli in charg of the occup as problemat and contradictori to the veri essenc of their work. A number of NGO worker who spoke with Haaretz voic deep apprehens about have to submit to the author of the Defens Ministry. The group ar commit to the Red Cross code of ethics.

Between 140 and 150 NGO oper among the Palestinian population. Haaretz could not obtain the exact number of foreign nation thei employ.

which includ the Red Cross and sever Christian organizations,The new limit do not appli to the 12 organ that have been activ in the West Bank prior to 1967. Those groups. were regist with the Jordanian authorities.

includ Palestinian with famili and properti in the occupi territories. Most of those who have been effect ar nation of countri with which Israel ha diplomat relations,The new move by the Interior Ministri is the latest in a seri of step taken in the last few year to constrain the movement of foreign nation in the West Bank and Gaza. especi Western states. Israel doe not appli ani similar constraint on citizen of the same countri travel within Israel and West Bank settlements.

" the ministri said. Giant Inflatable Snowman Decorations The Interior Ministri said in a statement that the onli relev author empow to approv the stai of foreign citizen in the Palestinian Author is the coordin of govern activ in the territories. "The Interior Ministri is entrust with grant visa and work permit within the State of Israel. Those stai within both the boundari of Israel and the Palestinian Author ar requir to secur their permit accordingly.