US delegation to reportedly review Israel’s visa waiver after flydubai security failures

A US delegation is expected to arrive in Israel in the coming days to review whether the country is meeting the security requirements of Washington’s Visa Waiver Program, Channel 12 news reports.

The delegation is currently in the United Arab Emirates, where it is examining aviation security procedures, the network says.

The expected visit comes after the security failures surrounding foreign airlines flying to Israel were exposed by last week’s attempted terror attack on a flydubai flight, and reports that some 1,240 aircrew members from countries that do not have diplomatic relations with Israel have entered the country over the past year.

The delegation will examine whether Israel is complying with the conditions agreed upon in 2023. Israel joined the program that year, allowing its citizens to travel to the US with an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), rather than apply for a visa.

In a separate report, the TV network says Transportation Minister Miri Regev sent senior officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a letter proposing an “aviation visa” for all passengers and crew arriving in Israel, which would be approved by the Population and Immigration Authority 48 hours before departure.

Regev also requests NIS 40 million ($13 million) and 10 staff positions so her ministry can fulfill its responsibilities for charter flights.

Channel 12 reports that officials saw little chance that Regev’s visa proposal would be approved, partly because other countries could impose similar requirements on Israelis traveling abroad.