JERUSALEM, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli parliament passed a law on Thursday allowing the government to expel relatives of Palestinian attackers to the Gaza Strip or other destinations, even if they hold Israeli citizenship.

The new law grants the interior minister the authority to deport family members of individuals designated by Israeli authorities as "terrorist operatives." Under the legislation, relatives can be expelled from Israel to the Gaza Strip or another location. The law permits deportation if a family member is found to have known about, supported, or encouraged a planned act of terrorism, even if the act was not carried out.

For Israeli citizens, the deportation period ranges from seven to 15 years, while for residents it spans 10 to 20 years.

The law, introduced by members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right governing coalition, passed with the support of 61 members of the parliament against 41 opposed, according to a parliament statement.

Adalah, the legal center for Arab minority rights in Israel, condemned the legislation, saying it "deepens Israel's two-tiered legal system -- one for Palestinians and one for Jewish Israelis." The group stated that the law constitutes collective punishment and marks "a dangerous escalation in Israel's crackdown on Palestinian rights, under the guise of counter-terrorism."

Today, Palestinians make up about 20 percent of Israel's population. While they have citizenship, they face significant discrimination. Many have family ties with Palestinians in the occupied territories and express solidarity with the Palestinian cause to end the occupation. Enditem

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