Right of Entry: Adnan and Manal

Adnan Muhammad Hasan Khalil, American citizen of Palestinian descent, emigrated from the West Bank as a youth in 1976 and returned ten years ago to get married. At that time, he applied to the Israeli authorities for Family Unification (FU) in order to secure permanent residency in the West Bank. His wife Manal holds a West Bank ID and is not a citizen of the United States. In 1998, Manal was diagnosed with atrophy of the cerebellum and Adnan soon found himself in an unfortunate position, where he was not able to be there for her, as he could not maintain consistent residency in the West Bank. In 2004, as Manal’s condition worsened, she suffered from multiple brain attacks, Adnan overstayed his Israeli tourist visa and has since encountered various problems when trying to re-enter the West Bank. In 2006, he was allowed to enter for only two months, and earlier this June he was denied entry altogether. The Israeli authorities cited Adnan’s prior overstay as the reason for this recent denial. As a result, Manal, accompanied by her two sisters to help her move about, traveled to Jordan to see her husband, but after two months, the prohibitive cost, health conditions and distance from extended family forced her to return to the West Bank.

Manal’s condition is rapidly deteriorating. She is now fully disabled and requires the assistance of two people to move about. Though she has some extended family that can help in a limited capacity, she is essentially living alone with their three children, eldest is 9 years old and youngest is 4 years old, while her husband, Adnan, was unable to join her because of the Israelis abusive policies of entry denial.

Adnan had contacted us for help. Every time we talk to Adnan, he would cry and beg for help to reunite with his disabled wife and young daughters. The Campaign has sent a letter on Adnan’s behalf to the US State Department and US Consulate in Jerusalem. On October 21, 2007, we called Adnan to inform him of steps taken by the Campaign, he expressed happiness because he was contacted by the US State Department. Adnan informed the Campaign that he would contact the State Department with the information they requested on Monday. He was so excited but also scared because the US State Department said that they don’t promise that he would be allowed entry to the West Bank even with their help. We asked him to be optimistic and patient. During the last phone call with Adnan, he could not stop crying, praying for God’s help and explaining how he no longer can live away from his family.

————–
On October 24, 2007, Adnan was shot to death during a robbery of Pampano Beach store at which he worked as a clerk. Manal is begging for your help to get her husband’s body to be repatriated to the West Bank.

This story is one of many! This story is a result of the Israeli Occupation Authorities’ abusive, arbitrary and unbearable policies.

Are we going to sit there and watch?

The Campaign for the Right of Entry to the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt)