Decision on Palestinian asylum seekers in the Netherlands!

In the Netherlands, the Council of State has ruled that the government must resume processing the suspended asylum applications of Palestinians.

In a written statement issued by the Council of State, it was noted that Eric van der Burg, the State Secretary for Asylum and Migration under the Ministry of Justice and Security, had decided in December 2023 to suspend asylum applications from Palestinians, citing the "uncertainty of the situation" and the "lack of a permanent policy" in Gaza.

The statement indicated that van der Burg had not evaluated the current situation in Gaza, and therefore, his decision was not sufficiently substantiated.

The statement further conveyed that some Palestinians who appealed to the court argued that the situation in Gaza was "not safe, temporary, or uncertain," and it was ruled that the Dutch government must resume processing the suspended asylum applications of Palestinians.

Pointing out that the decision is significant for all Palestinians who have applied for asylum in the country and are currently awaiting a decision, the statement noted that Palestinian asylum seekers will be allowed to stay in the country for 6 months, during which time they will have the right to housing as well as certain other rights.

News Source: AA