JERUSALEM: The United States has complained to Israel over rules that keep Palestinian-Americans from entering Israel, officials said on Thursday.
A travel update posted by the US consulate in Jerusalem says that for some time, Israel has not permitted Palestinians who also hold American passports to enter through Israel’s Ben-Gurion International Airport, requiring that they use the Allenby Bridge land crossing from Jordan directly into the West Bank.
Since spring this year, travelers using the Israeli-controlled bridge crossing have had their passports stamped permitting travel only in Palestinian controlled areas, the update said. Israeli Interior Ministry spokeswoman Sabin Hadad said there is a general ban on Palestinians entering Israel and the rules are applied regardless of what other nationalities they might also hold. “It does not matter if they are American, French or British,” she said. “If they are residents of the (Palestinian) territories, then we regard them first and foremost as local residents.”
She said that the rule has been in force since 2003, and the only recent change was introducing the passport stamp, in place of a separate note which used to be handed to travelers. Israel clamped tight restrictions on Palestinians seeking to enter its territory following the 2000 outbreak of a Palestinian uprising.
