U.S. to allow Israelis visa-free entry : NPR

TEL AVIV, Israel – The U.S. said Wednesday it will allow Israeli tourists and businesspeople to enter the country without visas, an agreement that requires Israel to end bans and restrictions on the entry of Palestinian Americans and other Arab Americans.

The U.S.-Israel deal represents a significant change in Israel's longstanding security paradigm of profiling and restricting the entry of Palestinian, Arab and Muslim visitors.

The new agreement to allow visa-free U.S. entry to Israeli tourists and businesspeople requires Israel to end bans and restrictions on Palestinian Americans and other Arab Americans traveling to Israel.

Under the deal, Israel has agreed to treat U.S. citizens "Without regard to national origin, religion, or ethnicity," the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement.

Israel already phased in the measures this summer, allowing entry to Americans with origins or dual citizenship in countries like Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.

Palestinian Americans with residency status in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip may now access Israel's international airport, and U.S. officials say tens of thousands have visited Israel as a result.

Four Democratic senators said Wednesday they oppose Israel's admission into the visa-waiver program, arguing Israel still has not addressed all unequal treatment against Palestinian Americans.

U.S. officials say they are working with Israel to solve remaining inequities, like restrictions at select border crossings on Palestinian Americans driving from the West Bank into Israel, and that Israel could be suspended from the visa-waiver program if it does not comply with its commitments.

Under the deal, Israel agreed to adopt U.S. and international airline passenger screening protocols established after the Sept. 11 attacks.

Israelis have sought to be in the so-called visa-waiver program for decades, but Israel never qualified.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was ousted in an election, and after years of his sour relations with Democrats, a new, moderate Israeli governing coalition was formed that the Biden administration wanted to support, and the U.S. began working on the visa-free program for Israel.

As Netanyahu faces domestic protests and U.S. opposition for his overhaul of Israel's judiciary, he is promoting the mega-deal President Biden is seeking to broker for diplomatic relations between Israel and regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia.