In the wake of several violent incidents in which Israelis attacked Palestinians in Judea and Samaria, the US Embassy in Israel is considering blacklisting the alleged perpetrators, Israel Hayom has learned.
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Adding those Israeli names to the list would make it difficult or even impossible to successfully apply for a visa to the United States.
Such a step, which could be unprecedented in its harshness, would be part of the new policy undertaken by the embassy in which those who are suspected to have been involved in violence towards Arabs or engaged in intimidation or incitement to violence will be added to a special list. This policy will likely cast a wide net as it would include even those who have not been convicted in court.
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Under standard procedures, applications could be rejected if the applicant is found to have engaged in violence or incitement to violence, whether or not they were prosecuted or convicted.
While the embassy has occasionally cited grounds for rejection that could last for life, this has been used to a very limited degree against Israelis who have been suspected of using violence based on nationalist motives. Under the new policy, this interpretation could be more expansive.
It is unclear whether this change in policy would be affected if Israel successfully becomes part of the Visa Waiver Program. The two sides have been working on having Israel join the VWP and this could happen in the coming year.
The new policy underscores the frustration among US officials over what they consider to be Israel's unwillingness to do all its can to prevent clashes between Arabs and Jews in Judea and Samaria. However, the timing of this new policy – as Israel's Right is set to take office following the Nov. 1 election – might not be coincidental, in part because of some of the violence associated with incoming cabinet ministers' past activities.
It is still not clear how the embassy will determine whether applicants should be blacklisted under the new policy. However, left-wing groups who report on alleged violence by Israelis could potentially become a credible source for the embassy, which in turn, may result in large numbers of settler activists being denied visas upon application.
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