A number of pro-Palestinian organizations based in the United States have filed an appeal against the Department of Homeland Security protesting Israel’s inclusion into the US visa waiver program, according to a joint statement released by AJP Action on Wednesday.
The appeal was submitted alongside other organizations including CAIR, Jewish Voice for Peace, and The Jerusalem Fund.
The release points to aspects of the deal that still leave room for differential treatment of Palestinian-Americans upon entry into Israel such as issues hiring taxis or crossing checkpoints into the West Bank.
The organizations stated that they have “no faith that Israel will fully abide by the rules and regulations set forth by the visa waiver program,” arguing that Israel has a “long history of discriminatory actions against US citizens and Palestinians.”
“We call upon the US government to reconsider its decision and prioritize the reciprocity, security, and international cooperation principles underpinning the Visa Waiver Program. The admission of any country into this program must be based on precise adherence to the established criteria and a demonstrated commitment to the program’s core values,” they requested of the US government.
Jewish groups climb aboard
Stefanie Fox, Executive Director of Jewish Voice for Peace Action, said, “The Biden administration’s decision to allow Israel’s entry into the Visa Waiver Program is an outrageous endorsement of the Israeli government’s systematic discrimination against Palestinian Americans and a reward to the most extremist, racist government in Israel’s history.
“Once again, the US is singling out Israel for special and exceptionalized treatment at the expense of the rights of Palestinian Americans. Jewish Voice for Peace Action calls for the immediate reversal of this decision.”
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