(CNN) — The US administration said Thursday that it had expressed to the Israeli government its “concerns that US passport holders from the West Bank will not be able to pass through Israel” as required under the visa waiver program.
US State Department spokesman Matt Miller said in a press conference: “I will not go into the full details of our private diplomatic discussions, but we expect Israel to address these concerns.”
“We expect them to be in full compliance with the Visa Waiver Program, and there are procedures available to us if they do not,” Miller added.
He continued: “There is a whole range of measures that can be taken before the final suspension of the program.”
According to a spokesman for the US Department of Homeland Security, his department and its partners in other agencies “continuously monitor the implementation of the program requirements by all countries joining the Visa Waiver Program to ensure full implementation.”
He added: “Officials are working with the Government of Israel to address reports that Americans are having problems traveling to and from Ben Gurion Airport, and the Department expects that all countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program will meet all program requirements.”
It is noteworthy that the US administration announced in September that Israel would join the Visa Waiver Program, which allows qualified travelers to apply to enter the United States without a visa, and the decision entered into force in late October.
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2023-11-16 20:39:11
