Mohammed and Hiba, a couple in their 50s, live in the Old City of Jerusalem and rely on income support benefits from the Israeli National Insurance Institute (NII).1 Like many Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem, they hold Israeli permanent residency rather than citizenship—a status that leaves basic rights, including social benefits, vulnerable to administrative decisions (see Precarious Status). For families already living on the margins, these benefits often mean the difference between survival and extreme poverty.2

Hiba is a cancer patient in need of continuous medical care. Despite her condition, she and Mohammed spend much of their time in prayer at al-Aqsa Mosque, where they are part of the murabitun—groups of Palestinian volunteers from Jerusalem who dedicate their time to protecting al-Aqsa Mosque. Murabitun spend their days praying, studying the Quran, and monitoring the site to prevent unauthorized non-Muslim prayer, especially by extremist Jewish settlers, which has been ever-increasing of late.

In recent years, the murabitun have drawn increasing scrutiny from Israeli authorities. Without prior notice or clear justification, Israeli police target individuals identified as murabitun, abruptly revoking their residency rights and social benefits. Mohammed and Hiba are among those affected. The impact is immediate and devastating: not only are they cut off, but their young children—entirely dependent on them—are also stripped of their entitlements.

The consequences have been severe. Overnight, the family lost its only source of income. Soon after, Hiba’s access to health care was also suspended, placing her life at serious risk. The family turned to the Community Action Center, a Palestinian nonprofit organization in the Old City that works to defend the rights of Palestinians in Jerusalem. Lawyers filed an urgent case against the NII on behalf of the couple, arguing that the decision was unlawful and endangered Hiba’s health.

After approximately four months, Hiba’s health insurance was reinstated—an implicit acknowledgment of the immediate danger posed by the suspension. However, the family’s income support remained frozen for four years. During this prolonged legal battle, they were left without any financial safety net, forced to rely on informal support and charity to survive.

At the heart of the case was the absence of any legal grounds for the revocation. No evidence of wrongdoing was presented, and no individualized assessment appeared to have been conducted. Instead, the measures reflected a broad, punitive administrative policy targeting a specific group of Palestinian Jerusalemites associated with al-Aqsa, and with dire consequences for an already vulnerable family.