WASHINGTON – In a move coinciding with the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, the United States has initiated a visa waiver program for Israelis, granting them permission to travel to the U.S. for a maximum of 90 days without the need for a visa application.
US Grants Visa-Free Travel to Israel
The U.S. formally included Israel in the visa waiver program on September 27, becoming part of an exclusive group of 40 nations. Initially, the waiver was set to become effective on November 30.
However, the program has been put into operation as of Thursday, as stated by the Department of Homeland Security, which did not provide a specific rationale for starting the program ahead of the usual schedule.
To be eligible, Israelis must possess a biometrically enabled passport, and those lacking one must seek a U.S. visa.
This progression comes after a recent increase in hostilities between Israel and Hamas, resulting in more than 3000 Palestinians deceased, potentially impacting the schedule.
The exemption plan requires that all U.S. citizens, including Palestinian Americans, receive fair treatment when journeying to or through Israel. Fulfilling this criterion sparked debate, as critics argued that Palestinian Americans still encountered prejudice while visiting Israel.
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The announcement regarding Israel’s participation in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) has sparked disapproval, and advocates for Arab-American civil rights are directing their concerns towards the United States.
Nations in the VWP should permit visa-free travel for American individuals in exchange for a comparable relaxation of visa conditions for their own citizens journeying to the US.
Currently, numerous US and other international individuals of Palestinian and Arab lineage are regularly refused entry by Israeli officials as they oversee all entry to the occupied Palestinian regions.
In 2019, a dispute surged when Israel prohibited US Congresswomen Ilhan Omar and Rashida Talab from touring the nation and the occupied Palestinian territories, referencing “their boycott actions against Israel”.