Opinion ID: 1468436
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Persecution by the Israeli Government

Text: The IJ determined the Al Yatims failed to demonstrate they would be persecuted by the Israeli government on the basis of their Palestinian ethnicity or Christianity. The BIA affirmed this finding, noting the lead respondent stated that he does not fear harm from the Israeli government. The BIA further determined the difficulties the Al Yatims face in the Palestinian territories are not on account of a protected ground, but rather simply due to a general state of unrest throughout the area. The record does not compel a different conclusion. As to the Al Yatims' contention they faced past persecution from the Israeli government based upon their status as Palestinians, the record supports the BIA's determination that these difficulties were part of a general state of unrest throughout the area. Such a situation is typically insufficient to qualify as persecution. See Mohamed v. Ashcroft, 396 F.3d 999, 1003 (8th Cir.2005) (Harm arising from general conditions such as anarchy, civil war, or mob violence will not ordinarily support a claim of persecution. (citations omitted)). There is no indication the Israelis' treatment of the Al Yatims was particularized as to them. On the contrary, Al Yatim admitted the Israelis selected any Arab they [could] get to clean the streets[,] and the violence surrounding their home was due to the home's unfortunate location where the Muslims were at one end of the street and the Israelis at the other. Thus, the agency's determination the Al Yatims did not face past persecution by the Israeli government is supported by substantial evidence. See id. (To be eligible for asylum, the harm suffered must be particularized to the individual rather than suffered by the entire population. (citation omitted)). Even without a showing of past persecution by the Israelis, the Al Yatims could still earn relief by demonstrating a fear of particularized persecution that is both objectively reasonable and subjectively genuine. Makatengkeng, 495 F.3d at 881. However, as the BIA noted, the record belies such a finding, given that Al Yatim testified he has no fear of the Israeli government.