US Ambassador Slams 'Fake News' on Visa Waiver Program
Translated & summarized from Now 14 by baba
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has dismissed reports claiming Israel's visa waiver program is at risk. He called the reports "fake news," stating there is no change for Israelis traveling to the U.S. The reports followed a security incident involving a Flydubai flight, which had raised questions about Israel's adherence to program requirements.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee denied reports that Israel's visa waiver program is in danger.
- Huckabee called the reports "fake news" and stated there is no change for Israelis traveling to the U.S.
- The reports were initially published by Channel 12 News.
- The visa waiver program's status was questioned after a security incident on a Flydubai flight.
- An American delegation was reportedly expected to visit Israel to review program compliance.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on Wednesday refuted reports suggesting that Israel's visa waiver program for travel to the United States is in jeopardy. "Contrary to the fake news reports on media channels, there is no change in the visa waiver for Israelis flying to the U.S.," Huckabee stated. He specifically addressed claims that the program might be endangered following an incident involving a Flydubai flight.
The reports, initially published by Channel 12 News and subsequently appearing in other media outlets, indicated that an American delegation was expected to visit Israel to assess whether the country still meets the program's requirements. This assessment was reportedly prompted by security failures revealed in the Flydubai case, where the co-pilot suspected of planning to hijack the plane was allowed to enter Israel as part of the flight crew, despite allegations he intended to crash the aircraft in Israel.
The incident has led to recent recriminations and discussions regarding the division of responsibility among various bodies for vetting flight crews and passengers on flights entering Israel. The ambassador's clarification aims to dispel concerns that the visa waiver status for Israelis has been altered due to these events.
