event

“Blue Means Blue”: Reciprocity, Israel, and the Requirements for Entry to the U.S. Visa Waiver Program

Tue. February 14th, 2023
LiveOnline

Israel’s application to the U.S. Visa Waiver Program has caused a stir as Palestinian Americans and supporters of Palestinian rights have long experienced difficulties traveling to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. A recently published unclassified version of an Israeli military order reveals that while most people visiting Palestinians in the West Bank would be prohibited from entering, those staying in Israeli settlements would face no similar restrictions. 

Please join us for a discussion led by Carnegie’s Zaha Hassan on the challenges faced by foreign travelers to the West Bank. The discussion will feature Samar Asad Hawari and Kamal Nawash, two Americans personally affected by the entry rules; Leora Bechor, an Israeli immigration law expert; and Jessica Montel, executive director of HaMoked: Center for the Defense of the Individual based in Israel. 

DemocracyForeign PolicyGlobal GovernanceNorth AmericaUnited StatesMiddle EastIsraelPalestine
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
event speakers

Zaha Hassan

Fellow, Middle East Program

Zaha Hassan is a human rights lawyer and a fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Samar Asad Hawari

Samar Asad Hawari is a Palestinian American married to a resident of the West Bank. Previously, she was the executive director of the Jerusalem Fund in Washington, DC, and a journalist for the Associated Press, Jerusalem Bureau.

Leora Bechor

Leora Bechor is an Israeli attorney representing Americans and other foreign nationals in a case challenging Israel’s foreign entry restrictions.

Jessica Montell

Jessica Montell is the executive director of HaMoked: Center for the Defense of the Individual. She has been a leading figure in Israeli civil society for over two decades.

Kamal Nawash

Kamal Nawash is a Palestinian American attorney based in Washington, D.C.