Ashley Kasau, a 17-year-old girl born in Israel to a Filipino mother, is fighting to enlist in the IDF like the rest of her peers in the country. However, the Interior Ministry is currently preventing her from doing so despite her mother having submitted a request to recognize her as the partner of an Israeli citizen, which would grant her and her daughter permanent resident status.
"During these challenging times Israel is facing, I can't see myself not being able to help and contribute my part to the country. It's my duty. Having grown up here and received so much from the state, I'm part of Israeli society and wish to take part in defending my homeland,” Ashley wrote in the request.
“I want to enlist and would be happy to contribute in any way needed, whether in a combat or non-combat role. I'm ready to do my part in whatever the state or IDF needs with great pride,” she added.
Ashley's mother, Telma, has been the partner of Eyal Lev for 17 years and has been raising Ashley and the couple's daughter Adi. The couple has an ongoing case under which a request was submitted to grant Telma permanent resident status.
In August 2023, a request was submitted to the Population and Immigration Authority to regularize Ashley's status, but no decision has been made yet. This week, another inquiry was filed asking the Interior Ministry to grant Ashley immediate permanent resident status so that she can enlist in the IDF.
The request argues that "regardless of this process, Ashley's personal circumstances alone justify granting her the requested status so she can enlist in the IDF and not miss the military selection and recruitment process. This is due to her many years of integration into Israeli society, her lack of any connection to the Philippines, her close relationship with her Israeli sister and the fact that she’s essentially part of a completely Israeli family."
Attorney Asaf Weitzen from the Warsha & Weitzen law firm, who represents the family, said: "A young girl born in Israel who has never left wants to contribute to the State of Israel to the best of her ability via meaningful service in the IDF. The girl is expected to become a full resident in any case within a few years. Avoiding regularizing her status in a way that would allow her to enlist in the IDF is a great injustice."
"Ms. Telma Kasau is a Filipino national who came to Israel as a tourist many years ago and has remained in the country illegally. She has four daughters, two of whom are in Israel – one shared with an Israeli citizen and another who is the daughter of a Filipino citizen,” the Population and Immigration Authority said in response.
"Over the years, the applicant has been asked to leave the country but didn’t comply. A few months ago, a request was submitted to recognize her as the partner of an Israeli and the father of their shared daughter. The couple was interviewed and the request is under review. Ashley has been in Israel since birth without regular status,” it added.
“She wasn’t included in the request to recognize the partnership and a request was submitted on her behalf. Despite the desire to expedite the process via the media, the applicants will have to wait until the request is processed. It's unclear when a request for humanitarian status turned into a fight against the state to enlist in the army," according to the Population and Immigration Authority.