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AAI, ADC, and ATFP Continue to Raise Entry Denial Concerns with State Department

AAI
Posted on Monday July 7, 2008

WASHINGTON – June 25, 2008 – On June 19, the Arab American Institute (AAI), American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), and the American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) met with State Department officials from the Bureau of Consular affairs, and the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs to discuss the practice of denying entry to U.S. citizens of Palestinian or Arab descent into Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT).

AAI, ADC, and ATPF raised the community’s concerns about the ongoing pattern of discriminatory practice engaged by the State of Israel against U.S. Citizens of Palestinian or Arab descent, particularly with the start of the summer vacation season. ADC also provided the State Department Officials with recent cases of denial of entry taking place in 2007 and 2008. In addition, the three organizations briefed the State Department Officials on the situation on the ground, and how that issue has created an atmosphere of apprehension among members of the community who are electing not to spend their summers in the OPT. The State Department expressed that in order to sufficiently monitor progress on this issue, it is crucial for individuals to report travel difficulties to the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem.

“It is encouraging that the State Department continues to address this with their counterparts at the highest level, but this has been a persistent issue for thirty years,” said Arab American Institute President Dr. James Zogby. “There is only one class of American citizen, both at home and abroad, and we will work with with the State Department until that is fully recognized.”

AAI, ADC, and ATFP will continue to address that issue with State Department officials and are encouraging members of the community to fill out the U.S. Consulate’s Denial of Entry Form here in order to alert the U.S. Consulate when experiencing border or travel issues, or fill out the ADC’s Denial of Entry Questionnaire here.

If you have any questions or need assistance taking action, please feel free to contact Christina Zola, AAI Director of Communications, at at 202-429-9210.