A Palestinian citizen of Israel has been granted asylum in the United Kingdom after a years-long legal dispute, in a case that legal advocates say may set a precedent for Palestinians from the 1948 territories seeking international protection.
The applicant, identified as Hasan, is believed to be the first Palestinian holding Israeli citizenship to receive refugee status in the UK on the grounds of a well-founded fear of persecution if returned to Israel.
Hasan, 26, was born inside historic Palestine to a family displaced during the 1948 war. He arrived in the UK as an infant and spent much of his life there before changes in immigration policy removed his right to remain. After a brief return to Israel as a teenager, he re-entered the UK on a visitor visa and applied for asylum in 2019.
In his application, Hasan cited systemic discrimination against Palestinian citizens of Israel, as well as risks linked to his political activism and participation in protests critical of Israeli policies and the war in Gaza.
According to legal representatives, Home Office caseworkers initially accepted that Hasan faced a credible risk of persecution, citing discriminatory legislation, surveillance, arbitrary detention, and political retaliation against Palestinian citizens who express dissent.
The asylum grant was later delayed following intervention by then Home Secretary James Cleverly, after the case drew media attention. Internal Home Office correspondence reviewed during subsequent proceedings showed efforts to identify legal grounds to overturn the decision, though legal advisers reportedly warned that ministers lacked authority to reverse asylum determinations based on international refugee law.
With support from the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI), Hasan pursued a judicial review. In December 2025, the Home Office confirmed his refugee status under the 1951 Refugee Convention.
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“I lived for years without the right to work, study or rent, under the constant threat of return,” Hasan said in a statement. “The decision recognises the reality faced by Palestinians.”
Hasan’s solicitor, Taher Gulamhussein, said multiple Home Office officials had independently concluded that his client met the legal criteria for refugee protection. A JCWI spokesperson said the case raised concerns about political influence in asylum decision-making.
The Home Office declined to comment on individual cases.
Palestinians make up more than 20% of Israel’s population. Human rights organisations including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and B’Tselem have described Israel’s treatment of Palestinians as apartheid, a charge the Israeli government rejects.
