Visa

Gaza, whose governing body is the Islamist terrorist group Hamas, has so far not been included.

This indictment comes just as Israel inches closer to receiving visa-free access to the US.

In return for visa-free access for Israelis, Washington has demanded that Israel provide reciprocal unfettered passage for Americans, regardless of their background.

While opponents of Israel’s admission to the VWP argue that granting admission would be an undeserved gift to the government, the real beneficiaries will be individual Israelis.

“Israel’s entry into the US Visa Waiver Program will also be a big boost for business and investment, including for critical sectors like cyber-security, healthcare, and defense."

The long-discussed visa waiver for Israelis traveling to the US now looks likely to be passed sometime in this year after many months of speculation and negotiation. 

One source said that, while Israel would bar anyone deemed a security threat, it did not plan as a matter of policy to restrict entry to any American "BDS-ers."

Iran and additional normalization deals with Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia are a top priority for Israel, Hanegbi said.

A weekly selection of opinions and analyses from the Arab media around the world.

Some 97% of Israelis who apply for US visas receive them. Still, the Israeli government has made entering the program a priority, endeavoring to satisfy US State Department demands.