Dear Friend,

I need you to take action on this before Wednesday, Oct. 19, at noon ET. It's that important.

You know that Israel wants to be included in the U.S. Visa Waiver program. We have opposed this change for decades because for any country to join the US Visa Waiver Program (VWP), it must guarantee reciprocity — that is, it must ensure that it will treat all visiting Americans without discrimination just as the US must agree to do the same. There is clear evidence that Israel fails to meet this standard since they engage in disgraceful, degrading, and discriminatory treatment of US citizens of Arab descent at border entry points.

Further, Israel’s department of Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) announced that it would be revising its regulations for foreign travel to the occupied West Bank in such a way that Palestinian Americans will face even harsher discrimination and be denied the ability to visit their relatives in the West Bank. The new COGAT rules are scheduled to take affect this Thursday.

In light of these discriminatory practices, Congressman Don Beyer (D-Virginia) is circulating a "Dear Colleague" letter to Secretary of State Anthony Blinken highlighting Israel’s inability to meet the statutory requirements of the Visa Waiver Program and the need to protect the rights of all American travelers, including Palestinian Americans.

Please contact your representative TODAY and ask them to sign onto Congressman Beyer's letter by WEDNESDAY, October 19 at 12:00 Noon ET. Click here now to take action.

-Jim

Arab American Institute Foundation
1600 K Street, NW, Suite 601
Washington, DC 20006
United States