Israel seeks clarifications on Trump’s entry ban

Will Trump’s ban on nationals from seven designated countries apply to Israelis born in those nations?

Israel is seeking clarifications on the scope of President Donald Trump’s executive order banning the entry of nationals from seven Mideast and African Muslim-majority countries and how it may affect Israelis who originate from these countries.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry requested on Monday clarifications from the US State Department, as Israeli officials say that they want to clarify if the order applies to Israelis who were born in any of these seven countries.

The Israeli embassy in Washington has likewise contacted the State Department to clarify the matter.

The executive order imposed a 90-day ban on nationals of seven Muslim countries from entering the United States, including from Syria, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.

This ban can affect some 140,000 Israelis. Most of them are over the age of 65 and fled the Muslim countries as children. The majority do not hold citizenship from their countries of birth. However, their Israeli passports state their place of birth.

Speaking to IDF Radio on Monday, Meir Kahlon, who was born in Libya, and Rony Amrani, who was born in Iran, both expressed their fears that they would encounter obstacles if they tried to enter the US.

“I believe that now it will be very difficult for Iranian Jews to move away from Iran and immigrate to the US,” Amrani said.

Kahlon expressed concern about the prolonged vetting process, but believes that he will ultimately be admitted to the US for a visit if he so desires.

By: Aryeh Savir, World Israel News