The government of Joe Biden preparing to receive Israel into an exclusive club that allows its citizens to travel to the United States without a visa despite continued concerns from Washington about the Israeli government’s mistreatment of Palestinian Americans.
The US authorities have confirmed that the announcement of the entry of Israel into the Visa Exemption Program is scheduled for the weekend, before the end of the federal budget year on Saturday, which is the deadline for admission to Israel who do not have to qualify again next year.
The Department of Homeland Security administers the program, which currently allows citizens of 40 countries mostly Europeans and Asians, to travel to the United States for three months without a visa.
The Secretary of Homeland Security, Alexander Mayorkaswill announce on Thursday, shortly after receiving a recommendation from the Secretary of State, Antony Blinkento include Israel in the program, according to five officials familiar with the matter who spoke Sunday on condition of anonymity because the decision has not been made public.
It is expected that the recommendation of The Blink It will be delivered no later than Tuesday, according to officials, and the final announcement will come only eight days after the meeting held by the US president. Joe Biden and the prime minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu in New York within the framework of the United Nations General Assembly.
The leaders did not address the issue in their brief statements to reporters at the meeting, but it has been the subject of intense negotiations and debate for months, as has the government’s efforts Biden to secure an agreement for normalizing relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
