Since the trial period began, Palestinian Americans already say there is a difference. The allies have sought to limit publicity around the trial period, which comes amid unusually intense strains between their leaderships over wider Palestinian policies and other issues. One official told Reuters the trial period has been "going smoothly," without significant hold-ups for Palestinian American travellers. The Arab American Institute Foundation puts the number of Americans of Palestinian descent at between 122,500 and 220,000. An Israeli official gave lower figures, saying that out of 70,000 to 90,000 Palestinian Americans worldwide, about 15,000 to 20,000 were West Bank residents.

---

Persons: Abdul Jalil Juda, Ben Gurion, Benjamin Netanyahu, Nidal al, Nuha Sharaf, Dan Williams, Peter Graff Organizations: Ben Gurion, West Bank, U.S, Visa, Reuters, Embassy, Israel's National Security Council, Israeli, Palestinian, ., City University of New, of Homeland Security, State Department, Arab American Institute Foundation, West Bank ., Thomson Locations: Israel, JERUSALEM, Palestinian, Israeli, West, Washington, United States, Ben, Jordan, Jerusalem, U.S, American, City University of New York, The U.S, Gaza