intense bombing. No such military operations or risk of bombing are present, thus also precluding any suggestion of the displacement being permitted on the grounds of ‘military imperative’. Nor is there any indication that the displacement in question was conducted – or intended to be conducted - for ‘humanitarian reasons’. To the contrary, Israel has made it clear that these revocations of permanent residency status have been conducted as a punitive measure, in response to the actions of individuals or alleged actions of their family members. Additionally, ‘evacuation’ as per Article 49 IV GC refers to a temporary period of displacement and, therefore, displacement which is not intended or likely to be temporary in nature cannot be considered as falling within this exemption. In July 2015, the Israeli parliament, known as the Knesset, passed a law that imposes sentences of up to 20 years for stone throwing. This new law came as part of a series of amendments to the Israeli penal code for tougher repression of Palestinian resistance. The new amendments include a maximum 10-year sentence for throwing stones or other objects at traffic without the intention to injure, whereas when it is deemed there is intention to injure the sentence can go up to 20 years. They also added one fifth of the maximum penalty as a minimum sentence, which set the minimum sentence at four years for throwing a stone at traffic with intention to injure.121 These changes show a sharp increase in the length and severity of the sentences, as the previous average sanction for throwing stones was between two to four months.122 The Knesset also added that the families of those convicted for throwing stones will lose their national insurance benefits as a punishment.123 These new regulations are clearly directed to Palestinians, as throwing stones has been the symbol of Palestinian resistance for decades. It is a measure taken to deter acts of resistance against the Israeli policies of forcible displacement, colonization, and apartheid. The Israeli Minister of Justice stated; "Tolerance toward terrorists ends today. A stone-thrower is a terrorist and only a fitting punishment can serve as a deterrent and just punishment."124 In the final months of 2015, Israel also started to push forward tougher laws for Palestinian children. The Israeli Ministerial Committee for Legislation approved a bill that proposes to keep children convicted of “nationalistic121 DCI Palestine, East Jerusalem teens hit with harsh sentences for throwing stones, 20 July 2016. Available at: http://www.dci-palestine.org/east_jerusalem_teens_hit_with_harsh_sentences_for_ throwing_stones 122 Ibid. 123 Ibid. 124 Al Jazeera, Palestinian stone throwers face up to 20 years in jail, 21 July 2015. Available at: http://www. aljazeera.com/news/2015/07/palestinian-stone-throwers-face-20-years-jail-150721182722412.html 35