The Biden administration’s move to allow Israel into the U.S. Visa Waiver Program delivers a massive PR win to a Netanyahu government facing widespread protest at home and abroad.

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee is suing the U.S. government over Israel’s entry into the U.S. Visa Waiver Program. “Admitting Israel into the Visa Waiver Program would be an endorsement of discrimination against Palestinian and Arab Americans,” says ADC Director Abed Ayoub.

“Admitting Israel into the program after only a month-and-a-half-long trial after decades of discrimination, occupation, and apartheid is irresponsible,” AJP Action Advocacy Director Ayah Ziyadeh tells Mondoweiss.

“I think without Israel, there’s not a Jew in the world that’s secure. I think Israel is essential,” says Biden.

For years, I have seen how American citizens living in Palestine, myself included, have been disregarded by the U.S. government and by those who are meant to “help us” and ensure our safety abroad.

A “town hall” hosted by the U.S. Office of Palestinian Affairs exposed the charade of Israel’s bid to enter the U.S. waiver program and confirmed what we already knew: Israel has no plans to ensure equality, and the U.S. knows it but doesn’t care.

The Biden administration seems insistent on pushing Israel into the visa waiver program, but unless it forces Israel to ensure complete freedom of movement for Palestinian dual nationals any policy changes are meaningless.

As a Palestinian-American I know the stress of facing unjust interrogation when I travel through Israel. This discrimination should disqualify Israel from joining the U.S. Visa Waiver Program.

Israel might be on the verge of finally obtaining a U.S. visa waiver, but critics say new proposed travel guidelines will continue to discriminate against Palestinians.

Speaking from Jerusalem following a meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken reiterated calls for a two-state solution and promoting the normalization of relations with Israel across the Middle East. Palestinians say the visit shows the United States remains biased towards Israel.

“When the U.S. draws an equivalence between the butcher and the butchered, then it is necessarily on the side of the butcher,” Ubai Aboudi, Executive Director at Bisan Center for Research and Development, tells Mondoweiss.