Introduction The Universal Declaration of Human Rights guarantees the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of every state. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights echoes that individuals have the freedom to choose their residence. All Palestinians are subject to Israeli rules and regulations that determine their residency status, even those who do not live under Israeli jurisdiction. Violating the basic human rights for Palestinians and their families, these rules and regulations encompass almost every aspect of Palestinian life from freedom of movement, family unification, restrictions on building, and access to services and other basic rights. Historically, the territory of mandate Palestine was under a single jurisdiction, allowing the forging of family and communal ties across the regions of the country, as well as the Middle East. Today, these ties are disrupted or completely severed due to physical barriers, but also as a result of the effective differentiation of residency cards imposed by Israel. Legally sanctioned residential statuses established by Israel distinguish between different areas: Israel, Jerusalem, and the West Bank or the Gaza Strip. It is important to note that Palestinian residency is defined positively and negatively, with Israeli categorizations serving to determine who is excluded; namely Palestinians who live outside of these areas (Palestinian refugees). This point will be elaborated below. 9