Governments change, ambassadors come and go, ministers declare and are forgotten, and only this problem is not solved. For at least 20 years, American and Israeli representatives have been declaring that we are granted a visa waiver. As usual, promises aside and reality aside.
Last week, these were the top echelons. According to the White House statement, US President Joe Biden stressed in his conversation with Prime Minister Bennett that "his administration will strengthen bilateral cooperation with Israel, including cooperation for the inclusion of Israel in the visa waiver program." In other words, Biden intends to oblige Israel's long-standing. even Secretary of state Anthony Blinkn, agreed with Bennett that it would include Israel program exemption from visa. So whether this time it will happen?
If and when countries will reach an agreement on the exemption from visa, many of the country will breathe a sigh of relief. millions of Israelis have in the US In Family and Business Relations. Of course, this is a super popular tourist destination.
But the process of obtaining a visa to enter the United States is tedious. Filling out the 160DS form for hours on site, paying hundreds of shekels, making an appointment for the interview, the intrusive interview itself, handing in the passport, collecting it, and performing the process several times when it comes to a family trip. Anyone who has undergone the procedure knows how exhausting it is. And once every five or ten years, if you want a valid visa, you have to repeat it. About a decade ago, the service was greatly improved when a website and Facebook page were opened that made all information accessible in Hebrew. The route has become a nightmare that has also trapped many.
Due to cumulative loads, anyone currently applying for a visa interview will only get an appointment in a year.
There is no reciprocity
Into the space and frustrations that came with it, entered makers who offer prompt processing of requests for a fee.
The Facebook page of the American consulates is full of warnings not to turn to external services that only charge money, and do not shorten the procedure at all.
But stress does its thing and many are looking for shortcuts.
It is important to note that US citizens wishing to enter Israel are not required to have a visa, meaning there is no reciprocity and no equality - something very unusual in relations between countries.
In short, Israel and Israelis have every reason to wish for a visa waiver, and over the years many have worked to do so.
Dr. Michael Oren, who served as Israel's ambassador to the United States for the past decade, told Israel This Week that "I would joke with my staff that if we could solve the problem, we would place our statues in Dizengoff Square as a sign of appreciation."
More seriously, Oren explains that "we were faced with three obstacles. The Americans demanded that we put in a biometric passport, which has already happened. Second, under US law, a state may only be granted a visa waiver if the rejection rate is less than 3% - a threshold we are far from Third, the Americans demanded that Palestinian-Palestinians be allowed to enter the country like any of their citizens, that is, land at Ben Gurion Airport - in contrast to the current legal situation, which stipulates that Palestinian-Palestinians must enter Israel or the Palestinian Authority only through Jordan.
This is also the most difficult issue.
Because for the Americans, referring these Americans to Jordan is discrimination against their citizens.
On the other hand, if we allow this group to land at Ben Gurion Airport, our High Court may determine that Palestinian residents of the PA will also take off and land at Ben Gurion Airport - something that has enormous implications for state security.
This is the most difficult challenge. "
Photo: Shahar Azran,
Exclusion of the discharged soldiers
Over the years another issue has arisen. Any country interested in a visa waiver is required to disclose to the United States the criminal record of its citizens. Justice saw in sharing information criminal civilians, invasion of privacy and a threat to the security of the information.
discourse that took place between the two sides took ideas on how to bridge the gaps on various issues. Foreign Ministry officials believe that this is possible. the optimism began even before the declaration Biden and it stems from two officers began to work in the dead of winter The US Secretary of Defense, Alejandro Mallorca, who is also a Jew who loves Israel and directed his office to promote the cause, is the Israeli ambassador to Washington, Gilad Ardan, who raised the issue to the forefront.
Work teams from both countries began a dialogue designed to overcome obstacles.
For example, the Israelis explained to the Americans that 21-year-olds who apply for a visa to the United States do not come to settle there but go on a post-military trip. Unlike their counterparts in Europe or the United States, the Israeli route does not allow these guys to acquire a degree or a permanent job. Which made Americans suspect that they would settle illegally in their country.
The Israelis also explained that there are very few young Israelis remain in the US beyond the time allowed them visas, and therefore there is no justification American consuls reject so many requests directed to these age groups.
On the American side of the messages conveyed a desire to solve the problem. There are so optimistic, political will Exists, and what is left now is a long and very detailed discourse for formulating solutions.
In the first stage, it will be necessary to formulate agreements on the issues in dispute - and each issue is a world in its entirety. So to reach this goal will require a lot of work, bureaucratic and legal, which on the Israeli side will include the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Justice, the GSS and the Population and Immigration Authority. Legislative changes will be needed to ratify the agreement. It requires political backing. Even if we go through this, it will be necessary to lower the agreement to the stage of action, and to establish a common information network between the two countries. These are not things that happen in a day or two, "says an Israeli source.
In general, the American rhythm is not the Israeli one. For example, the data on the number of refusals of visa applications are published only once a year. That is, even if the Americans accept Israel's position and allow more young people to enter, only in a year and a half at the earliest will this be reflected in the statistics, and we have not yet talked about the corona, which disrupts world orders. Although the direction is positive, the process of obtaining an exemption for Israelis from entry visas to the United States will take years, and it will be even longer and more tedious than issuing a visa today.
