WASHINGTON: Congress has approved legislation deepening US-Israeli cooperation after softening a push to grant Israelis visa-free travel rights to the United States even as the Jewish state persists in blocking some Arab and Muslim Americans from its territory.
The bill, passed by a voice vote in the House, now goes to President Barack Obama for his signature.
It cleared the Senate with unanimous support in September, but only after the elimination of language that critics saw as an endorsement of Israeli discrimination of some Americans. The bill now calls only for Israel’s inclusion in the US Visa Waiver Programme when it meets the requirements, the most elementary of which is reciprocal treatment for Americans.
Senator Barbara Boxer, a Democrat who spearheaded the effort, hailed Congress’ two houses for speaking “with one voice” to strengthen ties between America and its closest Middle East ally.
Beyond the visa provisions, the US-Israel Strategic Partnership Act increases the value of emergency US weaponry kept in Israel by $200m, to a total of $1.8bn. It promotes closer US-Israeli links in energy, water, homeland security, alternative fuel technology and cybersecurity. It offers a verbal guarantee of Israel maintaining a qualitative military edge over its neighbours.
AP
