(Mar. 17, 2017) On March 6, 2017, the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) passed the Entry into Israel (Amendment No. 28) Law, 5777-2017 (the Amendment Law) (SEFER HAHUKIM [BOOK OF LAWS, the official gazette, SH] 5777 No. 2610, p. 458 (3/14/17), Ministry of Justice website (scroll down to issue No. 2610 (Mar. 14, 2017) (in Hebrew)). The Amendment Law amends the Entry into Israel Law, 5712-1952 (the Law). (SH 5712 No. 111 p. 354, as amended.)
The Amendment Law prohibits the grant of a permit for entry to and residence in Israel to any person who is not an Israeli citizen or alternatively does not hold a license for permanent residence in Israel if he or she, or the organization or the body for which he or she operates, has knowingly published a public call to engage in a boycott against the State of Israel or has made a commitment to participate in such a boycott. (Amendment Law, § 1, adding § 2(d) to the Law.)
For the purpose of the prohibition, a “boycott” is defined in accordance with the Law for Prevention of Harm to the State of Israel by Boycott, 5771-2011 (SH 5771 No. 2304, p. 972). Accordingly,
… “a boycott against the State of Israel”- intentionally abstaining from [engaging in] economic, cultural, or academic contact with a person or with another element [organization], solely because of a link to the State of Israel, one of its institutions, or an area under its control, in a way that may inflict [on the person or the element] economic, cultural, or academic harm. (Law for Prevention of Harm to the State of Israel by Boycott, 5771-2011, § 1.)
Under special conditions, which must be given in written form, the Minister of the Interior is authorized to deviate from the prohibition under the Amendment Law and grant a permit for entry or residence to a person found to have engaged in the prohibited boycott. (Amendment Law § 1, adding § 2(e) to the Law.)
