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U.S. NEWS Thursday 28 sepTember 2023
U.S. allows Israeli citizens to travel to US visa-free as Israel joins a

select group of countries

REBECCA SANTANA of trouble and a lot of mon-
Associated Press ey.”
WASHINGTON (AP) — The He described the decision
Biden administration is ad- as “further evidence of
mitting Israel into a select the strong ties between Is-
group of countries whose rael and the Untied States”
citizens are allowed to and thanked President Joe
travel to the United States Biden and other officials
without getting a visa in who helped make it pos-
advance. sible.
The decision announced Palestinian diplomats com-
Wednesday comes despite plained that the U.S. had
Washington’s concerns allowed Israel into the pro-
about the Israeli govern- gram without the country
ment’s treatment of Pal- fulfilling its commitments of
estinian Americans and equal treatment for Pales-
marks a major accomplish- tinian Americans. Palestin-
ment for Israeli Prime Min- ian advocacy groups have
ister Benjamin Netanyahu, reported that even during
who has sparred frequently the test phase of the visa
with the Biden administra- waiver agreement, Pal-
tion. President Joe Biden meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in New York, estinian Americans have
Under the waiver program, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023. faced discrimination and
as of Nov. 30, Israelis will be Associated Press harassment by Israeli au-
able to travel to the U.S. for mission to the program collaboration on counter- a priority for successive Is- thorities at airports and
business or leisure purposes without having to requalify terrorism, law enforcement raeli leaders. It comes as checkpoints.
for up to 90 days without for eligibility next year. and our other common pri- Netanyahu is facing months “At a time when the U.S.
a visa simply by registering The Department of Home- orities” and make the allies of mass protests against his administration has repeat-
with the Electronic System land Security administers more secure. proposed remake of Israel’s edly said that its goal is for
for Travel Authorization. But the program, which cur- Secretary of State Antony judicial system that critics Israel to provide the same
even if they are authorized rently allows citizens of 40 Blinken, in a joint state- say will make the country opportunities of freedom,
to travel under that system, mostly European and Asian ment with Mayorkas, cited less democratic. equality, prosperity and
U.S. officials at the airport countries to travel to the U.S. enhanced “freedom of “Today we mark an impor- security for both Palestin-
can still bar them from en- for three months without movement for U.S. citizens, tant and joyful moment for ians and Israelis, we expect
tering the country. visas. Secretary Alejandro including those living in all citizens of Israel,” Prime the Biden administration to
Israel had been facing a Mayorkas said the agree- the Palestinian Territories Minister Benjamin Netan- implement what it believes,
Saturday deadline, the end ment, after more than a or traveling to and from yahu said in a statement. works on and promises,”
of the U.S. government’s decade of work, “will en- them.” “This will save you, citizens the Palestinian Foreign Min-
budget year, to gain ad- hance our two nations’ Israel’s admission has been of Israel a lot of time, a lot istry said in a statement. q

Jimmy Carter’s 99th birthday celebration moved to Saturday to

avoid federal shutdown threat

By The Associated Press will include a 99-cent entry campaign for president as
ATLANTA (AP) — The Jimmy fee for the Carter museum, a Washington outsider who
Carter Library & Museum which features a replica promised never to lie to his
is moving up festivities for of the Oval Office as it ap- fellow Americans.
the former president’s 99th peared during Carter’s Carter is the longest-lived
birthday because of the 1977-81 White House term. U.S. president. He has been
threat of a partial federal Anyone 16 or younger will in home hospice care at his
government shutdown. receive free admission. Plains residence since Feb-
Events originally scheduled There will be birthday cake, ruary. His wife, Rosalynn,
for Sunday, Carter’s birth- games, crafts and food now 96, has dementia and
day, will now be held Satur- trucks on the grounds. The is also at home with the for-
day on the Atlanta campus museum’s theater will show mer president.
of the library and the ad- “All the President’s Men” If lawmakers in Washington
jacent Carter Center. An at 1 p.m. on Saturday. The reach a spending agree-
end-of-Saturday deadline movie chronicles President ment by the deadline, the
looms for Congress to reach Richard Nixon’s downfall birthday observances will Former President Jimmy Carter sits on the Atlanta Falcons bench
a new budget agreement from the Watergate scan- continue Sunday, including before the first half of an NFL football game between the Atlanta
to keep all government of- dal. That turn in U.S. political the 99-cent museum ad- Falcons and the San Diego Chargers, Oct. 23, 2016, in Atlanta.
fices including presiden- history, along with the fall- mission. The Sunday sched- Associated Press

tial libraries and museums out of the Vietnam War, set ule is to also include a nat-
open. The commemora- the stage for Carter, then uralization ceremony for 99 down also would affect Georgia town of Plains, in-
tion is scheduled from from a one-term Georgia gov- new American citizens. federally run historic sites cluding Carter’s boyhood
noon to 4 p.m. Satureday. It ernor, to mount a winning A partial government shut- in and around the south home and farm. q