Double Standards vs. Equity – Citizenship : From Blog Posts to Book 

The purpose of “Double Standards vs. Equity – Citizenship” and these blog posts is to combine them into a published book entitled Safe Schools for Jewish Students: An Educator’s Guide to Preventing Antisemitism and Strengthening Belonging.

Go here for the full Table of Contents.

Chapter 4 – Double Standards vs. Equity: Citizenship

Double Standards vs. Equity: Citizenship – Strict Naturalization Laws in Other Countries

Naturalization for Non-Jews – A common criticism I’ve heard is how challenging Israel makes it for non-Jews to acquire Israeli citizenship.

For a non-Jew to become a citizen of Israel, at the time of application they must:

• have lived from 3 to 5 years in Israel,
• have a basic proficiency of Hebrew,
• renounce any other citizenship,
• demonstrate the intent to permanently stay in Israel via employment, children in school, or other method,
• pass a security background check.

Here are ten examples of countries that make it even harder to become citizens. If the lesson plan involves criticizing Israel’s naturalization policies, be sure to include these other countries and regions.

1. Qatar

Qatar’s system is uniquely restrictive—citizenship is essentially reserved for those born to Qatari fathers. Foreigners, even those who’ve lived there for decades, usually never qualify.

• Typically only those with Qatari paternal lineage can hold citizenship.
• Long-term residence (even over 25 years) doesn’t create eligibility.
• Arabic proficiency and good conduct expected if any case is considered.
• Qatar does not permit dual nationality for most applicants.

2. Vatican City

There is no general naturalization pathway for ordinary foreign residents—citizenship exists only for people in specific religious or diplomatic roles.

• Must be a cardinal, Vatican official, Swiss Guard, or serving in an explicit Vatican role.
• Citizenship often ends when the service ends.
• No option for long-term residents or spouses of citizens.

3. Liechtenstein

Liechtenstein’s process combines very long residency with community control—meaning locals have political influence over approval.

• Thirty years of legal residence before applying (longest in Europe).
• Must demonstrate cultural and linguistic integration.
• In many areas, local residents vote on your application.

4. Bhutan

Bhutan’s citizenship policies are designed around preserving cultural identity and are not open to average migrants.

• Citizenship by birth is only if both parents are Bhutanese.
• Residency alone (even over 20 years) doesn’t guarantee eligibility.
• Language and cultural integration requirements are demanding.

5. Kuwait

Kuwait, despite a massive expatriate population, grants citizenship to very few people, often only to long-standing tribal or Muslim individuals with deep historical ties.

• Over 20 years of continuous residence is required for most applicants.
• Must speak fluent Arabic and demonstrate “good character.”
• Historically, applicants are expected to be Muslim and of Arab heritage.
• Dual citizenship is banned, so renunciation of original citizenship is required.

6. Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia maintains stringent naturalization criteria with strong discretion granted to authorities, especially challenging for non-Muslims and non-Arabs.

• Around 10 years of residence, but often this alone isn’t enough.
• Must demonstrate fluency in Arabic and financial stability.
• Dual citizenship is not allowed.
• Applications are evaluated on merit, profession, or special contribution.

7. Switzerland

Switzerland’s citizenship process includes federal, cantonal, and municipal approval, and significant focus on cultural assimilation.

• Typically over 10 years of residency required.
• Must meet language proficiency standards.
• Local authorities can deny applications based on community integration assessments.

8. Denmark

Denmark is known for long residency prerequisites and strict integration exams that test language and cultural knowledge.

• Nine years of residency required.
• Difficulty for long-term residents who struggle with Danish language tests.

9. Japan

Japan technically has a 5-year residency requirement, but additional implicit barriers often prolong or limit approval, including language proficiency and expectations of cultural assimilation.

• Five years of continuous residence.
• Near-native Japanese language fluency.
• Must renounce prior nationality (dual citizenship discouraged).

10. Sweden

There are recent stricter rules. Sweden is tightening its citizenship requirements to include conduct abroad and financial stability, adding measures that may disadvantage those with minor criminal records or financial issues.

• Eight years of residency required (up from 5).
• Must demonstrate an “honest way of life,” including no serious debts abroad.
• Financial self-sufficiency proof.

Naturalization Prohibitions and Restrictions for Palestinians

Palestinians Acquiring Israeli Citizenship

As mentioned earlier, if the Palestinian is a citizen of a country outside of Gaza or the West Bank, they can follow the gradual procedure all non-Jews follow to become citizens. Palestinians who are citizens of countries friendly to Israel can become Israeli citizens.

Palestinians Acquiring Citizenship Elsewhere

There are regions, however, that restrict or forbid Palestinians from getting citizenship because they are Palestinian. So if a teacher criticizes the naturalization policies Israel places on Palestinians (more accurately non-Jews), it’s important to include these other countries to avoid double-standards. You’ll notice that many of the countries use the excuse of maintaining Palestinian identity as a reason not to permit citizenship to Palestinians. That’s akin to Britain refusing Indigenous Americans citizenship to England because Britain wishes to preserve indigenous American identity:

Lebanon

Palestinian refugees are generally not naturalized. Lebanese nationality law is tightly linked to its sectarian system. Granting citizenship to many Palestinians would “dramatically alter” sectarian demographics.

Saudi Arabia

Palestinians are explicitly excluded from a normal pathway to naturalization. Saudi naturalization law bars Palestinians in order to “preserve the Palestinian entity and identity.”

Iraq

Iraq’s nationality law specifically disqualifies Palestinians from naturalization. The law states that preventing naturalization is “a guarantee to their right to return to their homeland.”

Syria

Palestinian refugees in Syria have not been granted broad naturalization. They remain in a precarious legal limbo. They lack safeguards in nationality law, and naturalization procedures are generally not extended to them.

Egypt

Descendants of Palestinian fathers were initially excluded when Egypt amended its nationality law to allow maternal transmission in 2004. Exclusion was tied to “preserving Palestinian identity and not assimilating them.”

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Author Biography of Safe Schools for Jewish Students

Ezra Barany, son of a Bronx father and a Dutch mother from Nazi-occupied Netherlands, loves riveting readers with Jewish thrillers. His first two books in The Torah Codes series were award-winning international bestsellers. In his free time, he has eye-opening discussions on the art of writing novels with his wife and book coach Beth Barany. A high school physics teacher, Ezra lives in Oakland with his beloved wife and two cats working on the next book. Ezra, not the cats.