The Kafkaesque world of the Israel ID system

I have heard a lot about IDs and what they mean but the more I hear the more confused I get. I will try here to work through what I think is correct. 

There are four categories of Palestinian IDs issued by the Israelis: Gaza, West Bank, Jerusalem and Israel. With each come different restrictions on travel and rights of residence. 

A Palestinian with a West Bank ID can get permission to travel to Jerusalem, but getting the permission is not easy and nor is the journey - see “The machinery of oppression” below. As far as I can understand travelling to Israel is very, very much more difficult and travelling to Gaza impossible. 

Palestinians with Israeli IDs have greater freedom to travel but may not legally reside in East Jerusalem or West Bank.

Those with a Gaza ID are not allowed to travel into Israel or to Jerusalem or West Bank except under extraordinary circumstance. 

It is extremely difficult to get permission to reside in an area which is not your ID. 

So what happens if a man with a West Bank ID marries a woman with a Jerusalem ID? He cannot go to live with her in Jerusalem. If she comes to live with him in the West Bank she will be unofficial and potentially loose access to basics such as healthcare. 

She may be able to change her ID through a lengthy and expensive process but by so doing looses forever her right to reside in Jerusalem. 

But what of any children? If born in Jerusalem they may, at 18, get Jerusalem or may get West Bank ID. I understand it is possible for one family to have several different IDs. 

A Palestinian living outside of Palestine/ Israeli - for the Israelis the fifth category of Palestinian - will not be treated as British if they enter Palestine/Israel on a UK passport, for example, but will inherit the ID status of their parents experience travel limitations accordingly. 

Apartheid anyone?

If any other CADFA group member spots an error in this please let me know and I will correct it. 

Martin

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