With much fanfare, the United States and Israel announced a new phase in their diplomatic relations with the Visa Waiver Pilot. It was portrayed as a milestone, a step toward fostering stronger ties. But for Palestinian Americans, particularly those from Gaza, this initiative unfolded into a disheartening saga. Despite the optimistic pronouncements, they found themselves denied entry at the so-called Ben Gurion Airport, also known as the Lod Airport, which is a mere hour’s drive away from Gaza.
The initial Israeli statement seemed promising. It pledged that the program would apply to “any US citizen, including those with dual citizenship, American residents of Judea and Samaria [the occupied West Bank] and American residents of the Gaza Strip.” It appeared that Palestinian Americans with Gaza IDs were to be included in this new arrangement. However, ensuing reports, such as one from Axios, suggest that the policy is more restrictive. It primarily allows Palestinian Americans who do not reside in the West Bank to enter Israel and the West Bank as tourists, subtly suggesting they would not be able to enter Gaza via Israel.
This new policy poses a blow to thousands of Palestinian Americans. They have emotional and familial ties to Gaza, and the inability to visit their ancestral lands and reunite with their loved ones brings immense sorrow. The prospect of being unable to set foot on the land that they call home is deeply disconcerting.
Moreover, the selective exclusion of Gaza from the policy worsens the already fragmented state of Palestinian communities. By drawing a sharp distinction between the West Bank and Gaza in this policy, the US inadvertently perpetuates discrimination against its own citizens and becomes complicit in the inhumane blockade imposed on Gaza.
This policy goes against the principles of the political process, sponsored by the U.S., where the West Bank and Gaza are to be regarded as one contiguous region. Israel’s policies continue to undermine contiguity between the Gaza Strip, West Bank, and Jerusalem.
Israel cites the security situation in Gaza as the rationale behind this exclusion, a reasoning that upon closer examination, lacks substance. Palestinian Americans recently exposed to violence, incarceration, and even death—figures such as Shireen Abu Akleh, Omar Asad, and the residents of Turmusaya—faced these trials in the West Bank, not Gaza. Consequently, the invocation of security concerns as a pretext to deny Palestinian Americans from Gaza entry appears as an argument of convenience rather than one rooted in fact.
Israel’s policy and its execution necessitate international scrutiny and accountability. It is essential to shed light on such breaches of agreement, which bear the hallmarks of discrimination and denial of basic rights. It becomes our responsibility to advocate for policies that safeguard equality, justice, and freedom for all American citizens, including those of Palestinian origin. The path to substantive change remains long and winding until we witness a genuine shift in policy and approach.
The recent episode serves as a stark reminder of the enduring struggle faced by Palestinian Americans, and indeed, all Palestinians. This is a fight for their rights, dignity, and recognition. The battle extends beyond the right to visit one’s homeland—it is an appeal for the broader acknowledgment of the injustices Palestinians endure, a battle that requires our relentless attention and commitment.
