Al-Jazeera / July 20, 2023
The US has previously prevented Israel from joining its Visa Waiver Program, citing its differential treatment of some US citizens.
Israel will allow all United States citizens, including Palestinian Americans living in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip, to enter the country in a bid to get visa-free travel for Israelis to the US.
The change was introduced on Thursday, after US Ambassador Thomas Nides and Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who is currently visiting the US, signed a “reciprocity agreement” on the issue a day earlier, according to an Israeli statement.
“The full implementation of the program will apply to any US citizen, including those with dual citizenship, American residents of Judea and Samaria [the occupied West Bank] and American residents of the Gaza Strip,” the statement said.
The US has previously prevented Israel from joining its Visa Waiver Program (VWP), citing its differential treatment of some US citizens.
US officials will monitor the changes over a period of six weeks and make a decision about Israel’s entry into the VWP by September 30, according to US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.
During that period, they will also see whether Palestinian Americans and other Arab Americans are scrutinized disproportionately by Israeli security, as has often been the case, with Palestinians and Arabs often finding themselves facing extra checks and tight restrictions.
Restrictions lifted ?
Sources told the Reuters news agency on the condition of anonymity last month that the changes will allow Palestinian Americans in the West Bank to fly in and out of Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv, whereas in the past they had to go to neighbouring Jordan, cross into the occupied West Bank by land and be subjected to restrictions if they sought entry into Israel.r
They will also be able to use new online Israeli forms to apply for entry into Israel at West Bank crossing points.
The Palestinian Americans making the journey will be able to stay in Israel for up to 90 days, a US official said.
Those participating in the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement that calls to boycott, divest from or sanction Israel, will not be restricted entry, a source told Reuters.
The Arab American Institute Foundation estimates that there are 122,500 to 220,000 Palestinian Americans, with a US official estimate that about 45,000 to 60,000 live in the West Bank.
US-Israel relations have been relatively tense in recent months, as Washington raises criticisms of Israeli abuses against Palestinians and expresses concern over the Israeli far-right government’s plan to overhaul the judiciary.
SOURCE: AL-JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES
_______
Israel to allow entry of Palestinian Americans as it pursues US visa waiver
MEE Staff
Middle East Eye / July 20, 2023
Israel announces ‘reciprocity’ agreement and Washington will monitor whether Palestinian Americans are discriminated by Israeli security.
Israel has said it will allow all United States citizens, including Palestinian Americans living in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, to enter the country, as Israel continues seeking entry into a US visa waiver program.
The announcement was made on Thursday after US ambassador to Israel Thomas Nides and Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who is currently on a visit to Washington, signed a “reciprocity agreement”, according to an Israeli statement.
“The full implementation of the program will apply to any US citizen, including those with dual citizenship, American residents of Judea and Samaria [the occupied West Bank] and American residents of the Gaza Strip,” the statement said.
The agreement will allow Palestinian Americans who do not reside in the occupied West Bank to be able to freely enter Israel and the West Bank as tourists, Axios reported, citing Israeli officials and foreign ministry documents.
For Palestinian Americans who reside in the West Bank, they will have to use a special app in order to get a 90-day entry permit to Israel.
Those participating in the Palestinian-led BDS movement, which is a non-violent initiative that calls to boycott, divest from or sanction Israel, will not be restricted entry, a source told Reuters.
The US has previously prevented Israel from joining its visa waiver program (VWP), citing its differential treatment of some US citizens.
During a news conference on Thursday, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Washington would be monitoring the changes over a period of six weeks and then make a decision about whether or not to allow Israel’s entry into the visa waiver program by 30 September.
During that period, Washington will also see whether Palestinian Americans and other Arab Americans are disproportionately scrutinized by Israeli security, as has often been the case, with Palestinians and Arabs often finding themselves facing extra checks and tight restrictions.
“Our understanding is that this policy will apply to US citizens, including Palestinian Americans on the Palestinian population registry,” Miller said.
“And that will begin a process in which we will monitor not just their implementation of these policies but their compliance with these policies and compliance with other facets of the visa waiver program.”
Testing freedom of movement
Israel has been striving for inclusion in the visa program and hopes to do so by October this year. The program permits overseas visitors to remain in the US for up to 90 days without a visa, reciprocating the same privilege to US citizens in participant countries.
As it stands, the US maintains this type of agreement with 40 nations.
Prior to the agreement announced this week, Israel prevented individuals registered in the Palestinian Authority population registry, including those without a Palestinian ID card, from entering Israel without advance permission, regardless of their US citizenship.
Instead, they are required to enter and depart the occupied West Bank through the Allenby Bridge crossing with Jordan.
According to Axios, Palestinian Americans who reside in Gaza will face a more difficult situation due to “security concerns”.
Earlier this year, the US said it would begin testing the freedom of travel afforded to Palestinian Americans in Israel.
The assessment would include American delegates monitoring the travel of Palestinian Americans through the Ben-Gurion Airport as well as at checkpoints across the West Bank.
According to The Arab American Institute Foundation, there are 122,500 to 220,000 Palestinian Americans, and an official US estimate says about 45,000 to 60,000 live in the West Bank.
