Since October 7, the Israeli government has stopped issuing visas for foreign NGO staff working in the occupied West Bank. In almost five months, two thirds of foreign aid workers no longer have visas and for the others, their visas are about to expire. An extremely complicated situation at a time when humanitarian support is more necessary than ever in the region with the war.
3 mins
With our correspondent in Ramallah, Alice Froussard
Foreign humanitarian workers who no longer have a visa must leave or remain in the country illegally to carry out their work. The visa of this humanitarian worker – who prefers to remain anonymous – expired at the end of 2023. Like the entire profession, and thanks to a procedure put in place at the start of the war by Israel, it had an automatic extension until the 8 FEBRUARY. But since then, nothing more.
“ And since then, I have become illegal. That is to say that I am in a complicated situation which affects both my presence in the territory and my operational capabilities for my work. Because I can no longer move freely in the West Bank, I cannot go to Jerusalem, I can no longer cross checkpoints “, he explains.
Like him, there are nearly a hundred of them, without renewed visas, and all of them work on humanitarian aid to the Palestinian population.
Without visas, all foreign aid workers will have to leave in early fall
Israeli authorities tell international NGOs that this comes from a reorganization of the visa process, and that services have been overwhelmed since October 7. But this time, the automatic renewal did not happen.
And if Israel does not resume issuing visas, all foreign aid workers will have to leave by early fall, when the last visas issued in 2023 will expire. UN aid workers are also affected by these visa restrictions, with staff only having short-term access to Israel and Gaza.
Firas Arouri is the coordinator of the Association of International Development Agencies (Aida) in Ramallah: “ We have cases where the positions of NGO country directors or other senior managers have not been renewed. And sometimes we’re talking about small organizations that can’t afford to lose their key employees, especially right now. »
The humanitarian sector particularly targeted by these access restrictions
A complex situation for everyone and a clear result, denounces Firas Arouri: “ The humanitarian sector is virtually expelled from the West Bank. » « We see this measure as intrinsic to the general access restrictions of NGOs, whether in the West Bank or Gaza. Expatriates from other sectors have had their visas extended, so the humanitarian sector is targeted and it is a political decision », Estimates the Aida coordinator.
The diplomatic authorities were all alerted, specifies Firas Arouri, before calling for action and a position on the part of the international community. When contacted, the Israeli Interior Ministry did not respond to requests for comment.
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