In an unprecedented legal decision, a Palestinian citizen of Israel has been granted refugee status in the United Kingdom after British courts determined he would face credible persecution in Israel for publicly describing the state as an “apartheid regime.
The individual, identified pseudonymously as Hasan to protect his anonymity, represents the first documented case of a Palestinian holding Israeli citizenship receiving UK asylum protection. The 26-year-old’s case culminated in December 2024 when the Home Office formally recognized his refugee status following a protracted legal battle that reached the Court of Appeal.
Hasan’s extraordinary journey began when he arrived in the UK as an infant with his family, maintaining legal residence until age 14 when he temporarily returned to Israel with his father. A subsequent change in UK immigration policy voided his leave to remain status upon departure. He later reentered Britain on a visitor visa and formally sought asylum in 2019, arguing he would face discrimination as both a Palestinian and Muslim in Israel.
The case took dramatic turns when the Home Office initially approved his refugee claim in March 2024, with caseworkers documenting concerns about “arbitrary arrest, detention, and elevated discriminatory administrative process” he might face in Israel. However, following media attention, then-Home Secretary James Cleverly personally intervened to pressure officials to revoke the approval.
Hasan’s legal team from the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants successfully pursued judicial review, ultimately compelling the Home Office to confirm his status after the Court of Appeal refused the government’s attempt to challenge the ruling. The official recognition document explicitly cites “well-founded fear of persecution” as preventing his return to Israel.
Throughout the multi-year process, Hasan endured significant personal hardship under the UK’s asylum system, surviving on £49.18 weekly support while prohibited from working. His case establishes a notable precedent in international refugee law and UK-Israel relations.