yet they're worried about "Internal Security"....from Israelis, duh?!

If this bill passes, Israel will see a very rapid population decline. There are thousands who already came on a tourist visa and never returned. Refer to your nearest mall.

Half of Israel would empty out in a week if the US ever did away with a visa requirement. As a result of hundreds of thousands of Israelis descending on every American mall, AHAVA sales would skyrocket. Real Estate prices in Israel would plummet causing massive suicide among the rich and powerful. NGOs supporting emigration to the US, funded by George Soros, Norway, Ireland, Sweden and Germany would fund one way tickets. Nefesh B'Nefesh Olim would be able to fly First Class on the returning empty planes. The exit sign at Ben Gurion Airport would be changed from "Tzeitchem Leshalom' ('Go in Peace'), to "Last one out, please turn off the lights".

it's about diplomacy. If Israel doesn't allow ALL American citizens on its territory, then the US has no reason to ease the access to its territory to Israelis either. It's called diplomacy. It works like that all over the world. Agreements are made between countries. It's about give and take

Just like the US does

slowly realizing (here in Israel), that compared to much of the Western, civilized world we have it quite good and actually are the ones TO BE ENVIED! Before you hurry &"escape" to die Goldene Medine, stop & think for a second dude!

Maybe the US should have made sure that the 9/11 terrorists had Visas and why the Boston Marathon bomber was given US Citizenship before criticizing Israel! Its a pity no reference was made about the cost of getting a US Visa in Israel and the third degree type "interview" that Israelis are subjected to!

They'd still need electronic registration, which can also be refused. But it would at least cut out the disgusting interviews held at the embassy, and cost a lot less. Just a few weeks ago the UK also refused entry to a couple of US citizens who wanted to support the EDL, and they didn't need visas in advance.

Israelis ALREADY get visas, but they have to pay money ($500), go to the embassy and wait on line, and a percentage are rejected for no reason.

it WOULD be the first step in my grand plan to do a population swap replacing all Israeli Jews with American Jews, thus progressing towards making Israel a better place (assumably) by getting rid of the Israeli schnorrers who have made the country an expensive wasteland of bad manners, corruption, and difficulty in making a living. ;-)

Haifa would be much more beautiful and better smelling w/o your b/o being spread around. BTW, I think i've just stepped into you, GOD!! What a stench!!!

Good point that's true. I think the question still remains if sufficient access exists even if it is not 100% of americans. But that is the core of the issue I think.

So, you really think that "compared to much of the Western, civilized world we have it quite good"? Israel is the most impoverished of the 34 member countries, with a poverty rate of 20.9%, according to a report released in May by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Israel also continues to be one of the countries with the largest income inequalities, ranking fifth, with only the U.S., Mexico, Chile and Turkey having larger income gaps. Sure, if you happen to be a retired government employee or even better, retired from 'Tzvah Keva', you're one of the lucky few who are envied by many. If life is so good in Israel, why are so few of the ~750,000 Israelis living in the US returning home?

The visas are not rejected for 'no reason.' Most who are denied are youth who've just been released from the army and have no assets, job, property - nothing to serve as proof to tie them to Israel and 'guarantee' their return. The government assumes they are seeking immigration and not a vacation.

"The government assumes they are seeking immigration and not a vacation." That's no reason. How many recently graduated college students throughout the world travel the world who have no assets job etc? That's precisely the reason to travel, that one can do so easily! Look at the youth hostels throughout the world, travelers on a lower budget roaming, it's the best time in life to travel!

this time i guess, they are gonna allow many israelis to escape from israel to western world thus otomaticly stop settelement constructions which they have always condemned :) yanks are smart somtimes :D kidding aside if this passes israel will have many problems mentioned above by number 3

-Almost every cancer patient had been eating carrots during his/her life! Likewise, just before every election, our streets are "filled" with undernourished, dying of starvation citizens: if one believes our "impartial" media reports.

very soon borderless and boundary less world. Who need visa!!!

Our income in US could afford us a townhouse, two luxury cars, a savings account, one vacation a year, dining out, amongst many other things that are luxurious to majority of Israelis. In Israel, the same income, gives us a small apartment in Florentin, one 10 year old Volkswagen, a bicycle and a happy meal once a week. And we are in the 31% tax bracket. You and I must live in two different cities of Tel Aviv.

There is NO accurate data on the number of Israelis living in the US, and with good reason. Israel regards as Israeli 2nd and 3rd generation descendants of Israelis, many of whom have never lived in Israel a day of their lives. However, of late, the number of Israelis returning to Israel from the US has been about 6500 per year and has been increasing.

Many have returned because they simply had no other choice. I am a paralegal in LA area and we've seen many cases where the temporary two-year green card was not converted into the permanent 10 year green card. Majority of those were obtained through marriages to US citizens and the marriage proved to be fraudulent.

And if you are so nervous and anxious, get yourself a valium or make an appointment with the closest available shrink. Let's analyze what you've said. Regarding GDP per capita, which INCLUDES purchasing power parity per capita, which gives us a good idea of how much money the average Israeli makes, we can determine the standard of living in Israel. Just hard data. According to the World Bank, Israel ranks 32nd at 28.809 US Dollars. According to International Monetary Fund, Israel ranks 26th at 32.312 US Dollars., AHEAD of countries like South Korea, Spain, Italy and New Zealand. To give you a comparison, France was ranked 25th at 35.548 US Dollars. According to Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Israel ranks 29th at 32.800 US Dollars - again ahead of Spain, Italy and New Zealand. There is another measurement called Human Development Index (HDI). HDI consists of composite statistics that measures life expectancy, education and income indices. 186 countries have been surveyed and researched by the United Nations (UN). The figures apply to 2013. Of all countries in the world, Israel ranks 16th. To give you an idea of what that means, Denmark was ranked 15th, Sweden 7th and USA 3rd. Israel however ranks HIGHER than countries such as Belgium (17th), Austria (18th), France (20th), Finland (21st), Spain (23rd), Liechtenstein (24th), Italy (25th), Luxembourg (26th), United Kingdom (26th) and Poland (39th) - just to give you an idea of how "impoverished" Israel really is. Income gaps Avi is NO indication of how the average person lives and what is his standard of living. USA has larger income gaps by far than most European countries - but guess what - the average American makes a lot more cash than the average European. Income gaps do not imply that people at the lower end are "poor" or "destitute" - it means that they statistically make less money than the high income earners. Israel is ranked 2nd in the world regarding how many percent of the population holds and academic degree. Canada is ranked 1st, Japan 3rd and USA 4th. Israel is the 2nd most important high tech center in the world after Silicon Valley in USA. Israel ranks 2nd on the Nasdaq stock Exchange in terms of how many start ups exist in Israel. Only USA is ranked 1st. According to opinion polls (just Google them), the overwhelming majority of ethnic Israelis/ethnic Jews want to stay in Israel and most Israeli Arabs want to stay as well

0.023% of the Americans were denied entry to Israel whereas 5.4% of the Israelis were denied entry to the USA. Do you know simple mathematics? Or do you have a racist discriminatory agenda against Jews/Israelis? So your idea of an "equal" treatment is that 0.0% of Americans are denied entry to Israel whereas it is ok for the USA to deny entry to 5.4% of the Israeli VISA seekers? So "equality" in your mind is actually about differential treatment? But then your idea of "equality" is actually inequality. So you think that by practicing inequality you practice equality? Yes very logical... Forget the percent? Sure you say that, because the percent PROVES that the treatment INDEED is unequal but REVERSE: it is the USA that treats Israeli visa seekers unfairly and not vice versa. Unlike Israel, USA is not surrounded by enemies that want to cross America's borders and destroy USA. Gee, I wonder why Israel is so restrictive in letting in Arabs, Moslems and American Arabs and American Moslems - could it be because most Arabs and Moslems are anti-Semitic and are hostile and violent against Jews and Israelis? Could it be because Jews/Israelis fear for their lives in an ocean of medieval primitive fanatical quagmire of Arab and Moslem religious extremism, racism, medieval values, anti-Semitism, terrorism, daily death threats against the State of Israel issued by millions of Arabs in more than 20 Arab states and Arab despotism? Maybe the fact that 6 million Jews need to face 1.4 million Israeli Arabs and 300 million Arabs in more than 20 Arab states has something to do with it? Could it be because most Arabs and Moslems seek Israel's destruction and could it be because most Arabs and Moslems would cooperate with each other against Israel's very existence? Equal treatment cannot be given to those who do not accept the equality of the Jewish people and the Jewish State of Israel. If American Arabs and Moslems and the Arabs and Moslems of the Middle East want Israel to give them a fair an equal treatment, I suggest they start to practice it themselves and treat Israel, Israelis and/or Jews equally.

It is apparent that you urgently want to leave Israel. As a supporter of Israel and an American citizen I wish for you to stay in your country. We have enough 'tourists' that come and never leave, we don't want or need anymore. I hope this bill never sees the light of day. America gives enough to Israel, this one should be reserved for another time maybe another nation even.