Dutch descendant of Righteous Among the Nations fights for Israeli residency

Ellen Monique Chits, a 56-year-old Dutch Christian whose family members were recognized as Righteous Among the Nations, is fighting for permanent Israeli residency after the Interior Ministry rejected her application. Chits, who has a deep connection to Israel and has volunteered extensively since October 7, applied for legal status based on a Population and Immigration Authority procedure for descendants of Righteous Among the Nations. Her application was rejected because the authority stated that eligibility for grandchildren is limited to minors, a restriction her attorney, Yehoshua Pex, argues contradicts a January 2026 District Court ruling and renders the procedure largely ineffective. Pex stated, "She is asking that her request be examined under the procedure that was designed precisely for cases like this." Chits views her case as a matter of principle, seeking to continue her family's legacy of "selfless love" toward the Jewish people.