A week-long labor strike by the Interior Ministry’s east Jerusalem branch has resulted in tens of thousands of east Jerusalem Arab residents being unable to leave the country, and in danger of being deported for not updating their residency permits, a city official said Tuesday.
The strike, initiated by disgruntled workers demanding increased pay and improved working conditions, directly affects the nearly 400,000 Arabs living in east Jerusalem who must obtain paper work from the ministry to exit, and stay in, the country.
The strike’s timing has been particularly troubling for those who had to cancel flights, or need to update expired residency permits to avert deportation.
According to East Jerusalem Portfolio head and Meretz City Councilman Dr. Meir Margalit, the strike has ostensibly “paralyzed Palestinian life” in the capital.
“For Palestinians this is a disaster, and the problem is that unlike Jews living in Jerusalem, the Palestinians are so dependent on the Interior Ministry for many basic issues,” he said by phone.
Moreover, Margalit contended that the strike is a textbook example of why the ministry needs to alter its policies so that Arab residents no longer bear the brunt of consequences due to the its dysfunctional internal affairs.
“What the government needs to do is create a new model of relationships between the Palestinians and the Interior Ministry so that they will not be so dependent on their services,” he said.
Meanwhile, although a sign on the door of the closed east Jerusalem office instructed Arab residents to go to the ministry’s West Jerusalem branch for assistance, Margalit said the western office is not authorized to issue the necessary forms.
Condemning the strike as “illegal” and an egregious money grab, the Interior Ministry issued a statement claiming the employees are demanding to be paid for an extra hour of work even when they are not actually working.
“This is a direct blow to accepted civil service norms,” the statement said.

By DANIEL K. EISENBUDA week-long labor strike by the Interior Ministry’s east Jerusalem branch has resulted in tens of thousands of east Jerusalem Arab residents being unable to leave the country, and in danger of being deported for not updating their residency permits, a city official said Tuesday.
The strike, initiated by disgruntled workers demanding increased pay and improved working conditions, directly affects the nearly 400,000 Arabs living in east Jerusalem who must obtain paper work from the ministry to exit, and stay in, the country.
The strike’s timing has been particularly troubling for those who had to cancel flights, or need to update expired residency permits to avert deportation.
According to East Jerusalem Portfolio head and Meretz City Councilman Dr. Meir Margalit, the strike has ostensibly “paralyzed Palestinian life” in the capital.
“For Palestinians this is a disaster, and the problem is that unlike Jews living in Jerusalem, the Palestinians are so dependent on the Interior Ministry for many basic issues,” he said by phone.
Moreover, Margalit contended that the strike is a textbook example of why the ministry needs to alter its policies so that Arab residents no longer bear the brunt of consequences due to the its dysfunctional internal affairs.
“What the government needs to do is create a new model of relationships between the Palestinians and the Interior Ministry so that they will not be so dependent on their services,” he said.
Meanwhile, although a sign on the door of the closed east Jerusalem office instructed Arab residents to go to the ministry’s West Jerusalem branch for assistance, Margalit said the western office is not authorized to issue the necessary forms.
Condemning the strike as “illegal” and an egregious money grab, the Interior Ministry issued a statement claiming the employees are demanding to be paid for an extra hour of work even when they are not actually working.
“This is a direct blow to accepted civil service norms,” the statement said.