Israel has been granted visa-free travel opportunities for its citizens to the United States. Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid announced this on Monday. The United States is offering this opportunity to Israeli citizens amid concerns over Israel’s treatment of Palestinian and Arab-American travelers.
In a social media post, Lapid stated that the visa waiver program (VWP) will be implemented for Israel starting in November. However, the United States has not yet made an official announcement on this matter. Matthew Miller, a spokesperson for the State Department, mentioned on Monday that a decision will be made in the coming days.
If Israel is granted this privilege, it is expected to face widespread criticism from Palestinian and Arab-American civil rights activists.
Israel typically does not allow entry to foreign citizens of Palestinian and Arab descent. In 2019, Israel denied entry to members of the U.S. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, citing their support for the boycott movement against Israel as the reason.
Source: Al Jazeera
