In a bipartisan effort, 65 U.S. Senators have urged the Biden administration to finalize Israel's entry into the Visa Waiver Program by September 30. Israel has long sought to join the program,
which allows citizens to travel to the United States without a visa. Currently, Israelis who are not citizens of any of the 40 waiver program countries must go through a visa application process to travel to the United States, which can be time-consuming and cumbersome.
The letter, addressed to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Majorkas, was led by Nevada Democrat Jacky Rosen and Florida Republican Rick Scott. It acknowledges the remaining obstacle preventing Israel's participation in the program—the profiling of Arab Americans seeking entry into the country—and emphasizes the September deadline.
"While we understand that there are still unresolved issues that need to be addressed before Israel's participation in the program can be finalized, we urge both sides to continue working towards resolving these issues, including the reciprocal treatment of U.S. citizens," the letter states, emphasizing the importance of Israel's compliance with all program requirements before the September 30 deadline.
The letter, supported by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, coincides with the efforts of the current U.S. ambassador to Israel, Tom Nides, to secure Israel's entry into the visa program before his departure this summer.
Israel has already met two of the requirements for program entry, including reducing its visa refusal rate below 3% and implementing measures that promote intelligence-sharing among member nations. However, the issue of reciprocity remains a significant hurdle. The program mandates that the waiver applies to all citizens, regardless of their ethnic or religious background. Israel currently imposes special permits on Americans holding Palestinian identity documents, leading to concerns of unequal treatment and difficulties for U.S. citizens of Arab or Muslim heritage at Israeli borders and checkpoints.
While some Democrats have joined Arab American groups in demanding full reciprocity as a prerequisite for Israel's participation, the letter sent on Wednesday was signed by both Democrats and Republicans. Among the signatories were Jewish senators, highlighting the bipartisan support for Israel's inclusion in the Visa Waiver Program.
The ongoing discussions aim to resolve the remaining issues and ensure that Israel complies with the program requirements, fostering closer ties between the United States and Israel in the realm of travel and tourism. Photo by Dx73, Wikimedia commons.