In March 2009, in response to ACRI’s petition, the Interior Ministry abolished its discriminatory processing practices toward Arab status-seekers.
On 2 November 2008, ACRI submitted a petition to the High Court of Justice against the existence of separate and discriminatory services at the offices of the Ministry of Interior in Beersheba. Arab status-seekers were sent to the department of minorities and their requests were handled in the security room (bomb shelter) of the office. All non-Arab status-seekers submitting similar applications met with Ministry clerks in the spacious hall of the visa department. The petition also protested the referral of all Arabs in the South of the country to the Beersheba office, solely because they are Arab.
In order to highlight the problem, the petition referred only to the Beersheba office of the Ministry, but made clear that the separate services for Arabs and non-Arabs was not confined to that branch of the Ministry.
Following ACRI’s petition, the Interior Ministry announced that the services for all those requesting changes in status have been unified and separate facilities for Arabs have been abolished. Moreover, Arabs residents living in the south of the country are no longer limited to access the Ministry at its Beersheba branch but may now submit their applications to any branch in the south of the country.
