The USSA only reciprocates Visa-wise with countries that agree not to harass Americans and USSA subjects (unless the USSA tells them to). With one exception, of course.

Starting in July, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the State Department reportedly plan to admit Israel into the selective U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP) following a one-month trial. If Israel can demonstrate that it has ended its practice of discriminating against Americans on the basis of national origin, religion, or political views, that waiver will become permanent. Under the principle of reciprocity, entry into the program requires that all Americans traveling to and through a participating VWP country, or territories held by that country, be treated in exactly the same way as that participating country’s nationals are treated when they travel to the United States.

Americans of certain backgrounds, namely Arabs and Muslims, have long suffered discriminatory treatment when visiting Israel—something the U.S. government warns travelers to beware of on the State Department’s website. Nevertheless, just days before the trial period is supposed to start, Americans are still reporting discriminatory treatment at Israeli border crossings, and no mechanism exists to determine the number of American travelers who have been barred from the area—or the reasons for their exclusion.

Recent reports that the U.S. Embassy in Israel is negotiating an agreement that would effectively create a special exception to exempt Israel from the program’s reciprocity requirement are of deep concern. Without an agreement that ensures Israel will honor the principle of reciprocity and respect the rights of all American travelers, the visa waiver agreement between the United States and Israel is likely to become the first one to enshrine discrimination against certain American travelers as acceptable.

The USSA is very big on civil rights, justice, anti-racism, inclusion, equity, and equality. Very, very big, Some exceptions may apply.