Israelis to be exempted from visa requirement to US by September: Netanyahu

By Abdelraouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that Tel Aviv is expected to join the US visa waiver program this September.

"Today, we brought important news to the citizens of Israel. As we promised, the legislative requirements for obtaining a US visa exemption have been successfully completed," Netanyahu said in a statement.

He said in the coming months, Israel "will fulfill the additional requirements".

Israel started the process to fulfill the requirements for entering the US visa waiver program a few years ago.

Israel is "expected to enter the list of visa-exempt countries for the USA" by September 2023, Netanyahu said.

His announcement comes amid tension in relations between Tel Aviv and Washington over judicial overhaul plans by the Israeli government.

US President Joe Biden said he will not receive Netanyahu at the White House soon, in a sign of US protest against the proposed judicial reform, which triggered mass protests in Israel over the past weeks.

On Monday, Netanyahu bowed to pressure and announced a temporary halt to the judicial overhaul plans.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara