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Israeli bid for US visa waiver depends on Palestinian-American access test


Israel’s bid to join the US Visa Waiver Program (VWP) hinges on a month-long trial due to start on Thursday, when Israeli authorities will offer unfettered passage to US citizens of Palestinian origin who are West Bank residents, diplomatic sources say.

Israel has long sought access to the VWP, which would mean its citizens would not need to secure a visa before travel to the United States. But progress has been hindered because of restrictions on entry to Israel for Palestinian Americans from the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

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Israel’s ambassador to Washington, Michael Herzog, will sign a memorandum of understanding with the US Homeland Security Department in the US capital on Wednesday, setting terms for Israel’s possible entry into the VWP, an Israeli official said.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the signing would launch a four to six week review period, after which the United States would decide whether Israel is eligible to be admitted into the program.

Although it has not been advertised beforehand, Israeli and US diplomatic sources said the trial would start on Thursday. If it proceeds smoothly, then Israeli citizens would benefit from the VWP as of October, they said.

A US State Department and Homeland Security Department delegation is due to observe operations during the trial, with visits to Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv and to crossings between the West Bank and Israel, sources said, adding that the findings will be submitted before a Sept. 30 deadline.

Eight sources spoke to Reuters about the trial on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue. Two of them said the trial would last one month.

Asked about the plans for the visit by a US delegation, a US Embassy spokesperson said: “Those details have yet to be cemented.”

The spokesperson referred further questions to Israel’s Interior Ministry, which in turn referred them to the National Security Council in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, which declined to comment.

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said last month that the trial, which he called a “pilot” program, was planned for mid-July. He did not elaborate.

As part of the trial, the sources said Palestinian Americans from the West Bank would be able to fly in and out of Ben Gurion Airport. Until now they have generally had to fly via neighboring Jordan, cross into the West Bank by land and usually faced restrictions if they then wanted to enter Israel.

They will also be able to begin using new online Israeli forms to apply for entry to Israel at West Bank crossing points as US tourists, said the sources.

US ties with Israel, one of Washington’s closest allies, have been strained over policies towards the Palestinians of Netanyahu’s hard-right government and its plan to overhaul the judiciary, which critics see as anti-democratic.

The VWP issue was raised when Biden hosted Israeli President Isaac Herzog in the White House on Tuesday, a source briefed on the meeting said. “They reviewed the progress being made and it was expected the process would soon be completed,” said the source, who declined to be identified by name or nationality.

US officials assessing the trial will also focus on whether Palestinian Americans or other Arab Americans are subjected to selective grilling by Israeli security personnel.

One source said that, while Israel would bar anyone deemed a security threat, it did not plan as a matter of policy to restrict entry to any American “BDS-ers” – a reference to pro-Palestinian calls to boycott, divest from or sanction Israel.

The Arab American Institute Foundation puts the number of Americans of Palestinian descent at between 122,500 and 220,000. A US official estimated that, of that number, between 45,000 and 60,000 were residents of the West Bank.

An Israeli official gave lower figures, saying that out of 70,000 to 90,000 Palestinian Americans worldwide, about 15,000 to 20,000 were West Bank residents.

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Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies

H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.

He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.

The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.

-wam

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At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books

As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”

Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.

Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.

Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.

Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.

Automation

The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.

Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.

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US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79

US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.

In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.

He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.

President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.

-WAM

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