Tel Aviv: Israel has begun the process of deporting four Israeli Arab detainees and revoking their citizenship for allegedly receiving financial stipends from the Palestinian Authority (PA) during their incarceration, Israeli media reported on Wednesday.

According to Anadolu Agency, Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that these cases are in advanced stages under a law that permits the government to strip Israeli citizenship from individuals convicted of receiving funds from the PA in exchange for allegedly carrying out attacks against Israeli targets. This information was conveyed by the public broadcaster KAN.

The move follows a February 2023 amendment passed by Israel's Knesset, which saw 95 votes in favor and 10 against. This amendment enables the interior minister to petition the Supreme Court to revoke the citizenship or permanent residency of Israeli Arabs or Palestinians in East Jerusalem who have accepted payments from the PA.

This marks the first instance where Israel has initiated citizenship revocation and deportation proceedings against Arab citizens under the amended law. The amendment specifies that, upon their release from prison, these individuals can be expelled to PA-administered areas in the occupied West Bank or the Gaza Strip.

Katz noted that the law had been frozen for two years due to internal opposition within the security establishment but is now being actively enforced. The new policy sets a precedent for further decisions to revoke citizenship and deport individuals proven to have received PA funds, as reported by KAN.

For decades, the PA has provided monthly stipends to the families of Palestinian prisoners as a form of social support. However, Israel argues that these payments act as incentives for attacks against Israelis. Arab citizens constitute approximately 20% of Israel's population.