Edited by: Fern Sidman

A coalition of prominent American Jewish organizations and an Israeli counterterrorism expert have issued a heartfelt appeal to the United States, Germany, and Austria to grant citizenship to the over 200 hostages held by the Hamas terror organization in the Gaza Strip, as was reported by Fox News. These hostages became victims of a brutal massacre committed by Hamas terrorists that took the lives of 1,400 individuals, including Americans, on October 7 in southern Israel, the Fox News report added.

Jonathan Greenblatt, the CEO of the New York City-based Anti-Defamation League (ADL), emphasized the critical need for issuing emergency citizenship and passports to these hostages, as per the Fox News report. Greenblatt stated that this action isn’t just a responsibility for Germany and Austria but is a moral imperative that all nations, including the United States, should consider immediately. He underlined the urgency to utilize every available means to rescue the hostages from the clutches of their Hamas captors and ensure their safety.

A spokesperson from the U.S. State Department affirmed the nation’s stance, expressing the unequivocal demand for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by the Hamas terrorists in Gaza, including those of American nationality. Fox News also reported that while acknowledging the ongoing efforts to secure their release, the spokesperson clarified that U.S. law does not permit the issuance of U.S. passports to individuals without documented U.S. citizenship or a valid claim to U.S. citizenship. However, the State Department assured its commitment to providing appropriate consular assistance to U.S. citizen hostages, the report added.

The Los Angeles-based Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC) has thrown its weight behind the appeal, urging Germany and Austria to assume a leadership role and grant dual citizenship to the Israeli hostages currently held captive in Gaza by the Hamas terrorists, as was indicated in the Fox News report. Rabbi Abraham Cooper, Associate Dean and Director of Global Social Action at the SWC, underscored the importance of every possible effort to secure the release of innocent Israelis who are being held captive by Hamas. He called upon Germany and Austria to expedite the process of granting dual citizenship, expressing that their show of support for Israel should be strengthened during this challenging time, according to the Fox News report.

The captors had previously announced that they would handle Israelis with dual citizenship differently, making the plea for dual nationality all the more critical. As was noted in the Fox News report, Yigal Carmon, the President and Founder of the Washington, D.C.-based Middle East Media Research Institute, suggested that Austria and Germany should emulate the actions of individuals like Raoul Wallenberg, who saved countless Jewish lives during World War II. Carmon asserted that the governments of these nations should act as saviors for the hostages, particularly given the stance of  Hamas, that they will only release those with dual citizenships.

Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish diplomat, played a crucial role in rescuing thousands of Hungarian Jews during the Holocaust by issuing “protective passports” to those recognized as Swedish subjects, Fox News reported. His actions are revered as acts of immense courage and humanity.

There is a precedent for granting emergency citizenship to hostages, as seen in Sweden’s decision to grant citizenship to Iranian hostage Ahmadreza Djalali in 2018, as was noted in the Fox News report. Djalali, a medical doctor and lecturer at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, was arrested in Iran in 2016 and later convicted of espionage in a widely criticized show trial, the report added.

Recent calls from leading American Jewish organizations and an Israeli counterterrorism expert to grant citizenship to over 200 hostages held in the Gaza Strip have raised important legal and diplomatic questions, particularly in Austria and Germany.

The Austrian Foreign Ministry responded to these requests by acknowledging the desire to help the hostages but pointed out that Austrian law does not provide for the possibility of granting citizenship to foreign nationals with no direct connection to Austria, as was stated in the Fox News report. This legal stance is consistent with the laws of many other nations.

Austria affirmed its full solidarity with Israel in its battle against Hamas terrorism, emphasizing the tragic reality that Hamas captors often use hostages, including an Austrian-Israeli dual citizen, as well as Palestinian civilians, as human shields, the Fox News report said. While the Austrian government stands firmly with Israel, the legal framework within the country limits its ability to grant citizenship in this situation.

Germany, another nation pressed to grant citizenship to hostages, has yet to respond to the requests. The family of Jamshid Sharmahd, a German hostage held in Gaza, is particularly critical of the Biden administration and the German Foreign Ministry, accusing them of abandoning Sharmahd, according to the Fox News report. The family’s attorney argued that Sharmahd should be considered a U.S. citizen under the Levinson Act due to his residency in California.

The Levinson Act defines a “United States national” as a “lawful permanent resident with significant ties to the United States,” Fox News reported. According to the U.S. State Department, this definition extends to non-U.S. citizens who meet these criteria. Sharmahd’s case, therefore, presents a complex legal challenge that calls into question the responsibilities and obligations of the United States in such situations, the report added.

Germany, under Chancellor Olaf Scholz, has long maintained that Israel’s security is a matter of paramount importance, and it has stood alongside Israel in this commitment since 2008, Fox News reported. However, the current crisis in Gaza has become a litmus test for the German-Israel relationship and its pledge to support the security of the Jewish state.

The tragic confirmation of the death of Shani Louk, a 23-year-old German-Israeli national who was taken captive by Hamas during a music festival in southern Israel, highlights the severity of the situation. Chancellor Scholz condemned her murder, describing it as a brutal act of terror, as per the Fox News report. The call for accountability and the right to defend oneself resonates with the fundamental principles of self-defense.

In a separate development, Germany faced criticism for not voting against a U.N. resolution perceived as anti-Israel, as was reported by Fox News. The resolution called for an immediate cease-fire, which, according to Israel and military experts, could hamper Israel’s efforts to address threats in the Gaza Strip. Austria, in contrast, aligned itself with the United States and voted against the resolution.

The legal and diplomatic challenges surrounding the call to grant emergency citizenship to hostages underscore the complexity of addressing such crises and the broader political dynamics at play. While the humanitarian aspect of the situation is evident, it is intertwined with legal frameworks, diplomatic considerations, and national policies that must be carefully navigated to achieve a resolution that ensures the safety and well-being of the hostages.