Responding to the demand to translate supporting documents for permit applications to enter Israel
Inquiries for assistance received by Gisha over the past month indicate that West Bank residents are being required to translate medical documents attached to their applications for permits to enter Israel on the claim that it is necessary to facilitate processing of the request.Not only does this requirement fail to speed processing – the quality of the translations is often substandard and fails to truly reflect the documents’ original content – the requirement also contradicts the judgment issued in HCJ 86/11 Shalaldeh v. Military Commander (rendered March 3, 2011, translation by HaMoked), in which the Supreme Court ruled that the authorities must process all applications submitted by Palestinian residents whether they are in Arabic, English or Hebrew.
In a letter sent to the Israeli Civil Administration on behalf of a West Bank resident, Gisha requested that the administration explain the origin of this requirement and that it clarify to all relevant officials that it contradicts case law. In a response dated May 20, 2012, Civil Administration Public Communications Officer, Second Lieutenant Bar Akoka clarified that the requirement is against civil administration policy and that no instruction requiring translation was issued.
Related documents
Response of Second Lieutenant Bar Akoka dated May 20, 2012 (Hebew).
