Palestinian on Hunger Strike Outside of Israeli Embassy in Berlin
Thursday, 12 August 2010 14:43 Tania Kepler for the
Alternative Information Center (AIC)
Firas Maraghy, a Jerusalem native and current Berlin resident,
has been on hunger strike in front of the Israeli Embassy in Berlin since 26
July, demanding Jerusalem residency rights for his baby daughter and the right
to keep his own.
Maraghy moved to Berlin in September 2007 after marrying his wife, Wiebke Diehl,
a German national. The couple chose to live in Germany so that Diehl could
complete her studies. In December 2009 when their daughter Zaynab was born,
Maraghy requested that the Israeli Embassy in Berlin enter her name on his
documents. His request, however, was denied on 17 April of this year, on the
grounds that her mother was German.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that Israel’s Ministry of
Interior in Jerusalem also refused to register Firas and Wiebke’s marriage in
May of 2009, stating that because Maraghy now lives abroad he has jeopardized
his own Jerusalem residency.
"My father was born before the establishment of the State of Israel. My
grandfather was born before the Balfour Declaration. And I am going to lose my
right to be in Jerusalem just because I have stayed in Germany for a few years?"
he said.
Israeli legislation removes resident rights of Jerusalemite Palestinians after
an absence of seven years, though Maraghy has lived in Germany for less than
two. As a Jerusalemite, Maraghy has neither a Palestinian nor an Israeli
passport. He is considered a resident of Israel and has a Jerusalem ID. In May
2009 he was issued a travel permit, valid only until May 2011, on condition that
he then return to Jerusalem for a minimum period of 1˝ years.
If Maraghy does not return to Jerusalem, he will permanently lose his residency
rights and if he does return, he will be forced to abandon his daughter for at
least 1˝ years. Maraghy does not want to move to Germany permanently, but hopes
to be able to bring his daughter and wife to Jerusalem legally, with his
daughter living as a resident.
"How can I plan for the future when I need to return to Jerusalem so they don't
revoke my residence? How can I commit to a job here when I don't know if I can
come back the next time I visit? How can I convince my wife to move to Jerusalem
with me when she might not be able to leave Israel for four years until she
receives permanent resident status?" he asked.
"Ambassador Yoram Ben-Zeev came and spoke with me during the first week,"
Maraghy said, speaking about his hunger strike. "He had an offer for me. He
said, 'Let me see what I can do in your case. In the meantime, stop your hunger
strike. You can always renew it later.' I told him, 'I have a better idea. Try
doing what you can; I will continue my hunger strike in the meantime. Maybe this
can even help you.'"
The German section of the Jewish Voice for a Just Peace in the Middle East has
sponsored a petition on Firas Maraghy’s behalf. To sign the petition visit:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/firas-maraghy-petition-israeli-ambassador