Gazan Americans disappointed over exclusion from US-Israel visa waiver plan

Israel began a trial period earlier this month ahead of possible entry into a coveted US visa-free programme

Israel says it will not allow US citizens who live in the Gaza Strip entry through its international airport. AFP

Mukarram Lillard was excited last week when she heard that Israel could be joining the US Visa Waiver Programme, as it would mean she could go to the Gaza Strip more often and be more of a presence in the lives of her nieces and nephews.

The agreement would allow Palestinian Americans to travel in and out of Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport for the first time in more than two decades, avoiding lengthy and costly roundabout routes.

But her excitement soon turned to disappointment after it became clear that, at least for now, Gazan Americans would be excluded from the agreement.

“It was heart wrenching for me,” Ms Lillard, who lives in Oklahoma and returned from a trip to Gaza a week ago, told The National.

“It was absolutely disappointing and completely discouraging to me.”

Last week, the US and Israel signed an agreement that set the conditions for Israel’s entry into the coveted US Visa Waiver Programme, which would allow Israeli citizens to travel to the US for 90 days without having to apply for a visa.

Israel has for decades sought to join the programme. Its entry was previously blocked primarily because it prevented Palestinian Americans from the occupied West Bank and Gaza from entering Israel or travelling in and out of Ben Gurion International Airport, citing security concerns. It also routinely profiles Arab and Muslim Americans for additional screening and questioning.

Setting the stage for a major change, Israel launched a month-long trial period on July 20 during which it said it would stop barring the entry of Palestinian Americans to Israel and its airport.

Up to now, Palestinian Americans who live or are visiting relatives in the West Bank had to fly to neighbouring Jordan and then cross into the West Bank by land, a cumbersome and costly detour.

Those going to Gaza have to fly into Egypt and then travel by land to the Rafah border crossing, an even more difficult route.

Under the new rules, unlike other US citizens, Americans living in Gaza would still not be allowed to enter or leave from Ben Gurion Airport and would instead have to travel through Jordan. The new rules come with additional restrictions on Gazan Americans, such as only being able to make a trip once a year and needing to apply for a permit to leave the Strip 45 working days in advance.

About 700 Americans are believed to either be living in the Gaza Strip or have relatives there.

“Basically, Gaza is excluded from the entire programme at this point,” Adam Shapiro, director of advocacy for Israel-Palestine at the US-based non-profit Democracy for the Arab World Now, told The National.

“It's a punitive measure, as Israel doesn't want to do anything towards Gaza that would somehow appear to benefit Hamas.”

Israel began restricting the entry of Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza to Israel and preventing them from using Ben Gurion during the Second Intifada, the violent uprising that erupted following the collapse of the Camp David talks in 2000.

And after the Islamist group Hamas took over the Gaza Strip in 2007, Israel and Egypt have been imposing a tight blockade on the tiny enclave and restricting the movement of people and goods. Israel has also waged five major wars on the territory.

On Monday, the US State Department said it expects all Americans to benefit from the new programme, regardless of where they are heading.

“I will say that it is our understanding and our expectation that the Visa Waiver Programme will apply to all Americans, including Americans in Gaza,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.

“There may be slightly different procedures for Americans who live in Gaza, because of the different security situation that exists there, but we expect the programme to apply to all Americans and we'll be monitoring Israel compliance with that quite closely.”

Amid confusion over the new rules, Gazan Americans have formed a chat group to share information. Moe than 100 people have joined.

“I have never travelled from Gaza through Jordan,” one person says.

Another responds: “It is better than Rafah, but it's still a long and arduous trip that requires arrangements.”

Hani Al Madhoun, a Palestinian American who lives in Virginia and is currently visiting his family in the Gaza Strip, said he had to fly to Egypt and take a bus through the desert before crossing into Rafah. The 300km trip took 24 hours, cost hundreds of dollars and involved hours of needless waiting.

“Basically, the US government is OK with a foreign government discriminating against their citizens,” Mr Al Madhoun told The National.

“Whereas if we fly from Tel Aviv, it's a 40-minute car ride from Gaza, you can take a straight flight to New York or DC or wherever you're going, and you don't have to be humiliated and tortured.”