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☆ US admits Israel into visa waiver program
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Some Palestinians have protested against Israel's entry into the program, saying Israel for decades has discriminated against Arab Americans and harassed them at its borders. They also must treat all U.S. travelers equally, so Israel must allow free passage for Palestinian Americans at Ben Gurion airport. In a pilot period since July 20, Israel has eased access for Palestinian Americans through its borders and the Israeli-occupied West Bank. According to Israel's Interior Ministry, more than 130,000 Americans entered Israel since the pilot began, including 6,070 Palestinian Americans. Between 45,000 and 60,000 Palestinian Americans live in the West Bank, a U.S. official estimated.

Persons: Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Ronen, Chris Van Hollen, Alejandro Mayorkas, Netanyahu, Antony Blinken, David Shepardson, Dan Williams, Ali Sawafta, Henriette Chacar, Clarence Fernandez, William Maclean, David Gregorio Our Organizations: U.S, Israeli, White, Consulate, REUTERS, Rights, Visa, Arab, . Four Democratic U.S, Israel, U.S . Homeland, West Bank, Palestinian, Palestinian Foreign Ministry, Israel's Interior Ministry, Homeland Security Department, Thomson Locations: U.S, Israeli, Tel Aviv, Israel, Washington, United States, Ben Gurion, Croatia, Palestinian Territories, American, Detroit

That stirred protests by Palestinian Americans and U.S. calls for a change in policy. Under the pilot, more than 5,400 Palestinian Americans have entered Israel or crossed its boundary with the West Bank, according to Interior Ministry figures. The U.S. Embassy says some Palestinian Americans have complained of being barred from travelling between Israel and the West Bank by car. Between 45,000 and 60,000 Palestinian Americans live in the West Bank, a U.S. official estimated. An Israeli official gave lower figures, saying that of 70,000 to 90,000 Palestinian Americans worldwide, 15,000 to 20,000 are West Bank residents.

Persons: Joe Biden, Amir Cohen, Benjamin, blacklists, Hani Almadhoun, Dan Williams, William Maclean Organizations: Ben, Ben Gurion International, REUTERS, Palestinian, U.S, Visa, West Bank, Islamists, Ministry, Embassy, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Israel, Ben Gurion, Lod, Tel Aviv, JERUSALEM, GAZA, Gaza, United States, U.S, Egypt, Jerusalem, Palestinian American, Washington ,

☆ Exclusive: Israeli bid for U.S. visa waiver hangs on Palestinian-American access test
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Dan Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

But progress has been hindered because of restrictions on entry to Israel for Palestinian Americans from the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Although it has not been advertised beforehand, Israeli and U.S. diplomatic sources said the trial would start on Thursday. U.S. officials assessing the trial will also focus on whether Palestinian Americans or other Arab Americans are subjected to selective grilling by Israeli security personnel. A U.S. official estimated that, of that number, between 45,000 and 60,000 were residents of the West Bank. 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: Benjamin Netanyahu's, Eli Cohen, Washington's, Biden, Isaac Herzog, Dan Williams, Edmund Blair Organizations: U.S, Visa, West Bank, U.S . State Department and Homeland Security Department, Ben, Reuters, U.S . Embassy, Interior Ministry, National Security Council, Ben Gurion, BDS, Israel, Arab American Institute Foundation, West Bank ., Thomson Locations: Israel, JERUSALEM, U.S, United States, Palestinian, Ben Gurion, Tel Aviv, Ben, Jordan

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