Agencies-Gaza post
American concerns after Israeli restrictions imposed on foreigners entering West Bank
Dohaa Baker
United States Office of Palestinian Affairs expressed its concerns after the Israeli occupation authorities published the restrictions it will impose on the entry of foreigners into the West Bank.
The office said in tweets via its Twitter account, that there are concerns by the United States, “about this draft rules.”
It added, “Officials in the US Office of Palestinian Affairs, and officials at the US Embassy in Jerusalem, spoke with the Israeli side and shared their concerns about the new policy.”
The office confirmed that “communication will be made with the Israeli side within 45 days before the decision enters into force, and also during the trial period of this policy, which amounts to two years.”
It added, “We continue to have concerns about the published protocols, in particular regarding the role of the Coordination of Government of Israel Office in determining whether individuals invited by Palestinian academic institutions are eligible to enter the West Bank, and the potential negative impact on family reunification.”
The US Office of Palestinian Affairs asserted that it is “important to ensure that all of these instructions are drafted in coordination with key stakeholders, including the Palestinian Authority, and to ensure transparency and fair and equal treatment of all US citizens and other foreign nationals traveling to the West Bank.”
The Israeli occupation authorities are scheduled to start imposing new restrictions on foreigners wishing to enter and reside in the West Bank.
These restrictions, which were published last February, target foreigners wishing to reside, work, study, or engage in voluntary activity in the West Bank, occupied by Israel since 1967, and will also affect a large number of students within the framework of the Erasmus program.
Implementation of these restrictions has been postponed twice, due to the objection of 19 plaintiffs before the Israeli Supreme Court, and among those who challenged them, the Israeli human rights organization “Hamoked”, which describes it as “extremely restrictive” and imposes “vague criteria”.
Among the restrictions, any foreigner who wants to enter the West Bank cannot obtain a visa upon arrival in Israel, and he will have to request it 45 days in advance, specifically whether he has a first-degree family in the West Bank, and whether he owns land, or may inherit land.
Besides, foreigners will no longer be able to enter through Tel Aviv airport, except in exceptional cases, and they must enter through the King Hussein Bridge, “Al-Karama Crossing” between Jordan and the West Bank, and the crossing controlled by Israel.
The new procedures, which are 97 pages in some cases, impose a guarantee of up to seventy thousand shekels (about 20,000 euros), as well as for the visa holder to spend several months outside the West Bank before obtaining a second visa.
