“Palestinian Authority Only” Visa Stamp: Israeli discrimination against American citizens
Arab American Institute, September 4, 2009
Israel is issuing a “Palestinian Authority Only” visa stamp to only some Americans–some Arab Americans–in a clearly discriminatory system of racial profiling. This arbitrary stamp prevents these ‘branded’ Americans from entering Israel… Jerusalem… and thus, can prevent American citizens from reaching the American Consulate, the American Embassy, or even from leaving Gaza itself, neither north through Israel, nor south through Egypt. And it’s happening now.
“Israel appears to have defined, for itself, three categories of U.S. citizenship: American Jews, whom they see as having “birthright advantages”; most other U.S. citizens, as long as they have no know identification with Palestinians, who are respected and protected; and then, finally, Arab Americans whose rights as U.S. citizens Israel does not fully recognize.
In behaving thusly, and given the U.S. failure to act decisively to put an end to this behavior, both Israel and the U.S. are in violation of their obligations,” writes Dr. James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute, in “Enough is Enough”.
Over the past few decades, thousands of American citizens have been denied entry into Israel or the Occupied Palestinian Territories by Israeli authorities without just cause. The policy appears to be deliberately targeted towards Palestinian-Americans, Arab-Americans and supporters of Palestinian rights. Such discriminatory policies are a clear violation of article 26 of the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Denying entry to American citizens also puts the Government of Israel in clear violation of the 1951 Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation between the United States of America and Israel. This treaty agrees that U.S. citizens traveling there be permitted “to travel therein freely, to reside at places of their choice; to enjoy liberty of conscience… and to bury their dead according to their customs.” The Treaty also prohibits “unlawful molestations of every kind,” and guarantees U.S. citizens “the most constant protection and security.”
In the last week alone, the Arab American Institute has learned of the following instances of harassment, discrimination, families separated, Americans humiliated:
* an American family with four children trapped in Gaza and unable to leave;
* other Americans who are in the West Bank, having entered through the Allenby Bridge, but because they hold non-refundable airline tickets departing from Ben Gurion Airport (purchased before this Israeli practice was put into place), are, therefore, unable to make their flights;
* a group of American women (not of Arab descent), whose husbands were attending a business conference in Amman, were detained, by Israeli border officials, for seven hours and subjected to rude and humiliating questioning when they attempted to cross the Allenby Bridge to see the Holy Sites in Bethlehem and Jerusalem;
* American-born Palestinians forced to surrender their U.S. passports, on entry, and receive, against their will, a Palestinian ID document;
* numerous reports from American-born U.S. citizens of Palestinian and other Arab descent are being singled out for prolonged questioning on entry and departure; and
* onerous and discriminatory visa requirements imposed upon Palestinian Americans which have severely impacted their families and businesses.
The United States has continuously made it clear to the Israeli government that fair and consistent treatment of U.S citizens, regardless of ethnicity, is a priority. Israel has yet to meet its obligations. The State Department has worked with us for decades on this issue.
We were reminded recently of the story of a delegation during the forties that urged President Franklin Roosevelt to push for an unpopular change. His reply? “Make me.” In essence, he told the delegation to raise such an uproar, he would have no ‘choice’ but to make the change. Arab Americans must put the weight of their evidence into the State Department’s hands, giving that office a clear mandate for change.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
AAI Letter to Secretary of State Clinton
AFP article, “Arab Americans complain to Clinton about Israeli Discrimination”
Action Alert with information on how to file complaints
Dr. Zogby’s column, “Enough is Enough”
AP article August 20 – US raps Israel over limit on Palestinian-Americans
Our 2008 letter to Secretary of State Rice on the issue
Founded in 1985, the Arab American Institute (AAI) is a nonprofit organization committed to the civic and political empowerment of Americans of Arab descent. AAI provides policy, research and public affairs services to support a broad range of community activities.
Arab American Institute (AAI)
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