(WASHINGTON, D.C., 11/17/23) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called for an immediate formal review and revocation of Israel’s participation in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP). This call comes in response to widespread reports that Israel is blocking Palestinian Americans from entering the country from the West Bank, despite a recent agreement that allows citizens from both countries to travel visa-free.
SEE: NY Times: Israel Blocks Palestinian Americans From Entering From West Bank
SEE: U.S. and Israel Agree on Conditions that Could See Israelis Join Visa Waiver Program
In July, the Homeland Security Department agreed to include Israel in the U.S. government’s visa waiver program when the two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding(MOU). The VWP allows citizens of participating countries to travel to the United States for up to 90 days without obtaining a visa.
In a statement, CAIR National Government Affairs Director Robert S. McCaw said:
“The unimpeded movement of Americans in Israel is paramount under the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, particularly during periods of instability. Restrictions on such travel would jeopardize the safety of Americans traveling in Israel.
Israel’s participation in the visa waiver program should be reconsidered and revoked due to clear violations of the program’s terms and the mistreatment of Palestinian American citizens. It is crucial that the U.S. government to take decisive action against Israel’s ongoing inclusion in the visa waiver program.”
In September, CAIR joined civil society organizations representing tens of thousands of Palestinian Americans, Arab Americans, Muslim Americans, and allied communities in expressing deep concern an outrage regarding the United States’ decision to admit Israel into the U.S. Visa Waiver Program despite Israel not fully meeting the requirements outlined by the law.
In August, an American Muslim from New York who uses the moniker SQ faced discriminatory, abusive, and traumatic treatment that Israeli government agents at Ben Gurion Airport perpetrated against him during the ongoing U.S. visa waiver trial period.
SEE: CAIR Files Complaint After Israeli Agents Detain, Brutalize American Citizen at Ben Gurion Airport
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-999-8292, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com