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Visas to America
(Ha'aretz) - Editorial With all due sympathy, especially in Israel, for the American need to tighten its homeland security, it was correct for the foreign ministry to express its reservations about the hard line the U.S. is taking with Israelis who want to visit. Hundreds of thousands of Israeli citizens visit the U.S. every year. Half the world's Jewish population lives there and many Israelis have relatives in America. Israel has a strict, effective security regime at its borders, and makes sure its passports are scannable and as counterfeit-proof as possible. In recent weeks and on more than one occasion, well-known Israelis or government officials have had their visa requests turned down, or subjected to lengthy delays, because as children they immigrated to Israel from an Arab country. At the very least, Israeli citizens should be granted a relaxation of the visa requirements, if not full exemption.