According to an Israeli lawyer specializing in human rights issues, the Teudat Zhut identity card provides information on the holder's nationality and citizenship (9 June 1993a). If the holder is an Israeli citizen of Palestinian origin, the Teudat Zhut card would indicate the citizenship as Israeli and the nationality as Arab (or "Arabi" in Hebrew) (Ibid.). The same lawyer added that the Teudat Zhut document is not in itself an indication of citizenship (Ibid.). For example, in the case of Palestinians living in East Jerusalem, which territory was annexed by the Israeli government in 1967 and has been administered since as an integral part of Israel, the Teudat Zhut card indicates only that the Palestinian holder is a resident, not that he is an Israeli citizen (Ibid.). The passport is still the strongest evidence of citizenship (Ibid.). For example, the lawyer reported that Israeli authorities use these identity documents at the airport when Israeli citizens or residents are returning from abroad (Ibid.). According to the lawyer, who could only provide information on the treatment of Palestinians, Arab citizens or residents of East Jerusalem returning from abroad can be distinguished from Jewish Israeli citizens by the special travel documents they carry. Unlike Jewish Israeli citizens, Palestinians returning from abroad can be submitted to intensive searches (Ibid.).

A representative of the Association of Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) mentioned that in Israel there is a difference between citizenship and nationality (9 June 1993). The representative added that the Teudat Zhut card carried by Christians from the former Soviet Union would indicate Israeli citizenship and Russian nationality, while a Jew from the former Soviet Union would have Israeli citizenship and Jewish nationality indicated on his card (Ibid.). The same representative added that there is no Israeli nationality, only Israeli citizenship (Ibid.). The representative further indicated that although the nationality information can be removed from the Teudat Zhut card, it will remain in the file at the Ministry of the Interior (Ibid.). The Teudat Zhut card is also provided to temporary or permanent residents of Israel, but the information on citizenship shown on this document will not be as precise as that found on an official passport (Ibid.). Information on the religion of the holder is not indicated either on the Teudat Zhut or the official passport (Ibid.). These two documents can be used for a variety of purposes in Israel (Ibid.). According to another Israeli lawyer specializing in human rights issues, a Teudat Zhut card held by a Palestinian living in Israel (not in East Jerusalem) would indicate that the holder was an Israeli citizen bearing Arab nationality (9 June 1993b). The lawyer added that the Teudat Zhut card carried by a Jew from either Israel or the former Soviet Union would indicate that the card holder was an Israeli citizen bearing Jewish nationality (Ibid.). The same principle would apply to a Christian from the former Soviet Union; the Teudat Zhut would indicate that he was an Israeli citizen bearing Russian nationality (Ibid.). An Israeli passport only indicates citizenship (Ibid.). The passport also contains the holder's identification number, which enables the Israeli authorities to access information on the person (Ibid.).

Association of Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), Jerusalem. 9 June 1993. Telephone Interview with a Representative.

Israeli lawyer specializing in human rights issues, Jerusalem. 9 June 1993a. Telephone Interview.

Israeli Lawyer specializing in human rights issues, Jerusalem. 9 June 1993b. Telephone Interview.