Ramle Court Acquits West Bank Resident Over Sharia Court Residency Confusion
A Ramle magistrates' court acquitted a West Bank resident of illegal entry after he relied on an official Jaffa Sharia court order barring his departure from Israel, creating reasonable doubt.
A magistrates' court in Ramle has acquitted a West Bank resident accused of entering Israel illegally, ruling that he successfully raised a reasonable doubt by proving he genuinely believed he was authorized to stay in the country. At the center of the trial was an official order issued by the Sharia court in Jaffa, bearing the state emblem, which prohibited the defendant from leaving Israel for a year—a directive he interpreted as permission to remain.
The defendant, who has been married to an Israeli citizen from Lod since 2010, stated that he had legally entered and worked in Israel for years with permits, which were later revoked following the outbreak of the war. According to his testimony, when he and his wife approached the Sharia court, he was told he could move freely and that no one would deport him. He added that prior to his arrest, he was detained several times by police, presented the order, and was released—a fact the court noted reinforced his version of events.
Prosecution's Arguments and Court Ruling
The prosecution argued that the authority to grant residency permits rests solely with the Interior Minister, and that the defendant, having previously held legal permits, was well aware of which authorities held jurisdiction. The prosecution also pointed out that the Sharia court's decision explicitly stated it lacked the authority to grant legal status.
However, Judge Tal Aner accepted the defense's position, ruling that the defendant could not be held responsible for contradictory instructions embedded within an official state document.
"When an official document from a competent judicial authority bearing the state emblem prohibits a person from leaving Israel, it is entirely reasonable and even expected for them to view it as legal authorization," Judge Aner wrote.
The court further noted that the situation created an inherent lack of fairness toward the defendant, observing that the police failed to secure all relevant materials from the Sharia court before filing the indictment.
Along with the acquittal, the court clarified that the ruling does not grant the defendant any legal status or permanent residency permit in Israel.
