Israel is expected to join the US Visa Waiver Program (VWP) this week, according to the Israeli Foreign Ministry. This would allow Israeli citizens to travel to the United States without a visa for stays of up to 90 days.
The VWP is a program that allows citizens of certain countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business purposes without a visa. In order to be admitted to the program, countries must meet certain requirements, such as having a low visa refusal rate and providing reciprocal treatment to US citizens.
Israel has been working to join the VWP for several years. In 2020, the US State Department approved Israel’s application, but the country has been working to comply with the program’s requirements since then. One of the main requirements is that Israel allow Palestinian Americans to travel freely through its borders.
In July 2023, Israel began a pilot program to loosen access for Palestinian Americans through its borders and in and out of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The pilot program has been successful, and Israel is now expected to be admitted to the VWP in full.
If Israel is admitted to the VWP, it would be a major diplomatic victory for the country. It would also be a boon to Israeli tourism, as millions of Israelis travel to the United States each year.
Some Palestinian Americans have protested Israel’s entry into the VWP, citing what they say are decades of discriminatory treatment of Arab Americans and harassment at Israel’s borders. They also argue that Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories prevents Palestinian Americans from traveling freely.
The US State Department has said that it is working with Israel to ensure that Palestinian Americans are treated fairly and equally. The department has also said that it will monitor Israel’s compliance with the VWP’s requirements.
