The United States government announced the admission of Israel into the U.S Visa Waiver Program (VWP), which will allow Israeli citizens entry into the United States for a period of 90 days without the need to first obtain a visa. Agudath Israel of America has long advocated for Israel's acceptance into the program and hailed the development.
"We thank the American and Israeli delegations for the hundreds of hours of dedication and hard work they put into reaching this milestone, as many concerns on both sides - including freedom of entry, reciprocity and security — needed to be ironed out," noted Rabbi Abba Cohen, Agudath Israel's Vice President for Government Affairs and Washington Director. "The U.S.-Israel relationship is grounded in shared values and mutual interests and Israel's acceptance into VWP gives concrete expression to the strong friendship and unbreakable bond between the two allies."
Several months ago, Rabbi Cohen wrote to Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas urging them to accept Israel into the VWP and explained what this change would mean for the US Orthodox Jewish community. He pointed out: "In our community, we enjoy and interact with the many Israeli relatives, friends and business associates who come to this country every day to reunite, to attend family occasions, to establish commercial connections and to tour our great nation. We have also witnessed and shared the disappointment, frustration and, sometimes, financial loss that is suffered when visas or appointments are delayed or hit snags."
The Agudath Israel representative further noted the tangible benefits that would accrue to the U.S. with Israel's acceptance into the VWP, drawing attention to recent Senate testimony that estimated that the move would, over a 3-year period, generate billions of dollars in American revenue and thousands in increased American employment.
