US raps Israel over limit on Palestinian-Americans

By GAVIN RABINOWITZ, Associated Press Writer

JERUSALEM – The United States has complained to Israel over rules that keep Palestinian-Americans from entering Israel, officials said Thursday.

A travel update posted by the U.S. consulate in Jerusalem says that for some time, Israel has not permitted Palestinians who also hold American passports to enter through Israel's Ben-Gurion international airport, requiring that they use the Allenby Bridge land crossing from Jordan directly into the West Bank.

Since spring this year, travelers using the Israeli-controlled bridge crossing have had their passports stamped permitting travel only in Palestinian controlled areas, the update said.

Israeli Interior Ministry spokeswoman Sabin Hadad said there is a general ban on Palestinians entering Israel and the rules are applied regardless of what other nationalities they might also hold.

"It does not matter if they are American, French or British," she told The Associated Press. "If they are residents of the (Palestinian) territories, then we regard them first and foremost as local residents."

She said that the rule has been in force since 2003, and the only recent change was introducing the passport stamp, in place of a separate note which used to be handed to travelers.

Israel clamped tight restrictions on Palestinians seeking to enter its territory following the 2000 outbreak of a Palestinian uprising, with hundreds of attacks in Israel, including dozens of suicide bombings. Palestinians can enter Israel only with special permits.

Already engaged in a public dispute with Israel over construction in Jewish settlements in the West Bank, the U.S. responded harshly to the entry ban at the State Department's daily press briefing on Wednesday.

"We have made it quite known to the Israeli government that we expect all American citizens to be treated the same regardless of their national origin, and these kinds of restrictions we consider unacceptable," spokesman Ian Kelly said. "We have told them that we cannot accept this practice ... we will continue to protest."

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor on Thursday confirmed that the U.S. had complained, but he did not elaborate, adding that he was unfamiliar with immigration regulations.

The U.S. Jerusalem consulate Web site warned dual nationals that even if they took a gamble and were allowed to enter though Ben-Gurion airport, they could find themselves barred from returning the same way and unable to use the return portion of their airline ticket.

The consulate advice statement said Palestinian-Americans who found themselves stranded in the West Bank would find the Palestinian authorities powerless to help them.

"Only Israeli liaison offices in the West Bank can assist," it said. "But they rarely will."