Never you mind those Mossad spies entering the country!
"Friction expected on Israel-US visa measure" Associated Press, July 16, 2013
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration and Congress could soon clash over a bill that would let Israelis visit the United States without visas but not demand full reciprocal treatment for all Americans wishing to travel to the Jewish state.
Wow. I'm nearly speechless at the U.S. Congress.
Israel’s entry into the 37-nation US Visa Waiver Program is the most controversial element in a pair of broader US-Israel bills dealing with everything from improving cybersecurity to enhancing economic cooperation.
I'm not anti-semitic; I see Washington for what it is: Zioni$t-occupied territory.
Both House and Senate bills would create a new category of US ally — ‘‘major strategic partner’’ — designating Israel as the only such nation.
Oh, House and Senate working on it while student loan rates soar, infrastructure collapses, economy implodes, empire in shambles, and the food stamp program (except for "Food for Peace") goes unfunded for starving Americans....
Related:
"The Senate voted 94-0, The overwhelming bipartisan vote
on an amendment to a sweeping, $631 billion defense bill reflected
fears about the Iranian threat and the United States’ unwavering support
for its closest Mideast ally Israel."
Glad to know they can be so bipartisan sometimes, 'eh?
And they would call for the inclusion of Israel on a list of countries whose citizens can visit the United States for up to 90 days without a visa, if they register electronically before boarding a flight.
The administration and some lawmakers worry the legislation does not do enough to eliminate Israeli discrimination against Palestinians and Arab-Americans seeking to enter Israel.
The Senate bill would demand only that Israel make ‘‘every reasonable effort, without jeopardizing the security of the state of Israel, to ensure that reciprocal travel privileges are extended to all United States citizens.’’
The Senate bill doesn't "demand" anything.
Some critics are sensitive about expressing reservations in public, wishing to avoid a public argument with a close ally.
Another fake and phony spat. The aid money still flows.
Backers say the measure would benefit US citizens by requiring the secretaries of state and homeland security to certify that Israel is doing all it can to facilitate travel for Americans. Critics believe they see a loophole.
Last month, 15 Democratic members of Congress and one Republican wrote to Israel’s ambassador, expressing concern that Israeli border officials were ‘‘disproportionately singling out, detaining and denying entry to Arab and Muslim Americans.’’
Other problems cited included instances of Israeli border officials blocking Americans because of their political views and cases of US citizens being forced to provide authorities with access to their personal e-mail accounts at the risk of deportation.
They are already working hand-in-glove with the NSA, so WTF?
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Related:
"Israel upholds reading of entrants’ email" by Diaa Hadid | Associated Press, April 25, 2013
JERUSALEM — Israel’s attorney general on Wednesday upheld a practice to allow security personnel to read people’s e-mail accounts when they arrive at the airport, arguing it prevents militants from entering the country.
Well, DON'T GO TO ISRAEL no matter WHO YOU ARE!
The ruling followed an outcry last year when some people trying to enter Israel were ordered to open their e-mails after hours of interrogation at Israel’s Ben-Gurion airport. In one instance, three Palestinian-American women were forbidden from entering after e-mail checks were conducted.
Critics say it primarily targets Muslims and Arabs and appears to be aimed at keeping out visitors who have histories of pro-Palestinian activism, citing a history of such people being turned away from Israel’s border crossings.
Is that a surprise? Of course, racial profiling is fine if Israel does it.
Security personnel may ask visitors to open their e-mail accounts for inspection if they are perceived as being suspicious, wrote Nadim Aboud of Israel’s attorney general office. In a response to the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, he said potential entrants may refuse to allow their e-mails to be checked, but that would be a factor in deciding whether a person would be allowed to enter the country.
Doing you a favor there.
Aboud said the checks were justified because there was an increasing risk of foreigners being involved in militant activity.
They mean peace activists.
He said security services could not properly investigate the backgrounds of some entrants without the additional check.
A Justice Ministry official said the search was conducted only in ‘‘extraordinary cases.’’ He spoke anonymously in line with ministry policy....
ACRI attorney Lila Margalit said inside Israel, police could search a person’s computer data only with court approval, even if there was a criminal investigation underway.
That's because Israel was founded to give Jewish mafia criminals sanctuary. I know what your history books told you, but they are wrong.
Israeli officials tend to conduct exhaustive checks on foreigners entering the country, or passing through border crossings they control, if they are deemed suspicious.
It particularly affects people who hope to travel to Palestinian areas of the West Bank. The Palestinians have a measure of self-government in the West Bank, but Israel controls entry into those areas.
Such visitors frequently complain that they risk not being allowed into the country if they announce they will visit areas under Palestinian Authority control; but risk being accused of lying if they omit that information to security personnel.
There are no statistics on how many people are refused entry into Israel or through border crossings that Israel controls.
Really?
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Related: Israel's Solution to Illegal Immigration
You know, if it's good enough for the Israelis, it's good enough for Americans.
