An Israeli proposal that could potentially strip tens of thousands of Palestinians in Jerusalem of their residency rights has sent shudders through the targeted Arab neighborhoods -- areas that fell outside Israel's separation barrier a decade ago, even though they are within the city's boundaries.
The government's review of the status of these neighborhoods, home to tens of thousands of people, illustrates the fragile position of Palestinians in a city where they are caught between the pragmatic conveniences of living under Israeli control and the loyalties to the Palestinian cause.
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But government critics said the fact that it is even being discussed sent an ominous message to Palestinians.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the review at a recent meeting that was called to discuss a wave of Israeli-Palestinian violence that has roiled the area in the past month.
About a third of the city's 300,000 Palestinians live in these neighborhoods.