After nearly two weeks of an iron sword war, the US government announced that Israelis are eligible for visa waivers and can enter the country using the ESTA form. This means that you don't have to make an appointment or pay large sums, but pay $21 and get an online pass in no time.
One of the clauses of the agreement between Israel and the Americans was that all Americans, wherever they were, could enter Israel. Some of the Americans are residents of Gaza, and the agreement allows them to enter Israel as American citizens. The significance of the decision does not mean that they can enter the country freely, but rather that the State of Israel may carry out a security characterization and even prevent the entry of some of them, if there is an explanation for this.
The vast majority of Gazans holding US passports do not live in Gaza, Photo: GettyImages
Our investigation revealed that there are about 2,000 Gazans with American citizenship, but the vast majority do not live in Gaza at all. About 1,870 of them live around the world, most of them in the United States, and only about 130 of the Americans are still living in Gaza.
These Americans can enter Israel after applying and being tested, as part of the visa exemption agreement that is still in effect during these days of fighting. The pilot began back in July, and since then those holders of American passports have been allowed to enter Israel in the same way.
The agreement also applies to all residents of the Palestinian Authority, which is estimated to number about 50,50 holders of American passports. In this case, too, a very significant proportion of them have not lived in Israel at all in recent years, and it is estimated that the number of American passport holders living in the Palestinian Authority is significantly lower than <>,<>.
When the agreement went into effect, the security authorities clarified that any entry of anyone who might pose a threat is checked and if it is decided that there is no permit as far as the State of Israel is concerned, he will not be allowed to enter the country, so that although the agreement ostensibly presents free entry into the country, this is a matter that, on the face of it, should be controlled.
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