Interestingly, now the Netanyahu-led government is working on getting this worked out and PM Netanyahu and Minister Ron Dermer are promoting it saying that removing the visa requirements for Israelis entering the USA will effect a wave of aliyah of Jews to Israel.
I am curious about that theory, how does it work?
Jews from the USA will make aliyah in greater numbers because of this? why? Jews from Russia or Ukraine or other places will make aliyah just so they can get into the USA easier? seems like a lousy reason to make aliyah, and why would we do this just so other people can use Israel as a terminal on their way to the USA? They can already make aliyah as Jews so if they arent I dont see this as a good reason to push this program. The reason to push it is to make travel easier for Israelis, and to make the US-Israel relationship bi-directional.
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By definition a visa doesn't let you stay. If there's any indication that people are abusing the program to stay in the US, the US will shut it down. Indeed, the program is only granted if there's evidence that not many Israelis overstay the visas they have. (That's why it's only given to wealthy countries.) And if anyone on the Israeli side *implies* that that will be done, it won't be granted.
ReplyDeleteI think he's talking about side issues- like an American married to Israeli will move here because the spouse will now be able to travel to the US freely with them and things like that. I'm not as optimistic as him, but who knows what will happen.