Israel’s visa-free US travel privileges at risk after flydubai incident: Report
A US delegation is expected to arrive in Israel in coming days to assess whether the country is meeting the security conditions of the US Visa Waiver Program.
Israel risks losing its visa-free travel privileges to the United States following a security incident on flydubai Flight 1073, according to a report from The Times of Israel. The flight, which originated in Tel Aviv, was reportedly targeted by copilot Hamam al-Hammami, leading to a near-collision that left around 180 people on board, most of them Israelis.
Al-Hammami reportedly expressed support for al-Qaeda on social media and had been barred from flying in Oman due to extremist views. The United States has an agreement with Israel, known as the Visa Waiver Program, that allows Israeli citizens to enter without a visa using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). This arrangement, which Israel joined in 2023, requires the country to meet certain security conditions.
A US delegation is scheduled to arrive in Israel shortly to evaluate whether these conditions are being upheld. The delegation is currently in the UAE, where it is reviewing aviation security procedures. The Transportation Ministry, responsible for overseeing Israel's entry and exit procedures, has come under scrutiny for its handling of foreign airline crews following the incident.
Israeli officials, including Transportation Minister Miri Regev, have reportedly declined flydubai's request to resume flights to Israel. The ministry expects all Israelis stranded in Dubai after the attack to return home by Thursday, with 7,415 passengers already repatriated on special flights.
Written by urgent.news from Hindustan Times - World News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
