Under Pines's proposal, which is due to be discussed by a ministerial committee on Wednesday, some 2,000 children aged 10 or older would receive permanent resident status, which would become citizenship following army service. Their parents and younger siblings would receive temporary residency. The younger children and parents would become permanent residents when the olders siblings obtain citizenship by completing military service.

ACRI called the proposal "inhumane" and said it fails to meet the needs of the children and their families. First, it said, the proposal covers only children who were born here, but that children who moved here at a very young age are also unfamiliar with any language or culture outside of Israel. The association noted that a previous proposal issued by Pines' predecessor, Avraham Poraz, was not restricted to children born in Israel.

The proposal applies only to children whose parents entered Israel legally. Thus, many children who have never known any home but Israel will be unfairly punished for their parents' "sin" in entering illegally, ACRI said.

Finally, parents and siblings will receive permanent residency only when the relevant child turns 21, the usual age for completing army service. ACRI wants the families to be granted permanent residency immediately, so that children and parents will not have different status.

Today, the cabinet is slated to approve the new composition of the ministerial committee on the issue, which Pines chairs. Ministers Tzipi Livni, Gideon Ezra and Meir Sheetrit, all of whom sat on the previous committee, will remain; they will be joined by ministers Shalom Simhon, Abraham Hirchson and Matan Vilnai.