This is an image of a page from a French passport, whose owner recently went through the Allenby Bridge border crossing between Jordan and the Israeli occupied West Bank. It shows an Israeli-issued stamp that provides the passport owner with a three-month tourism visa. What makes this stamp unique however is that the Israeli border agents who issued it appear to have come up with a new criteria regarding the freedom of movement of its holder.
The presence of “Palestinian Authority only” on the stamp is what makes it unique.
Previous Israeli-issued tourism visas do not restrict the freedom of movement of tourists who are allowed passage into the country, and who originate from countries which Israel has diplomatic relations and reciprocal arrangements regarding travel. That meaning, as long as someone was allowed into the country, they were able to travel freely whether they chose to visit the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, or the Palestinian city of Nablus in the occupied West Bank.
“Palestinian Authority only” greatly restricts this freedom of movement, and thus undoes the former arrangement. It essentially precludes travel to areas of pre-1967 Israel, as well as to Israeli controlled areas in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
Israel exercises full control over 59 percent of the West Bank – areas known as “Area C.”
It further exercises security control over an additional 24 percent of the West Bank (Area B) with the Palestinian Authority [PA] in control of civil affairs there.
The only area which the PA nominally controls in full, and which a holder of this stamp is thus presumably eligible to travel to, is Area A. The latter comprises the remaining 17 percent of the West Bank.
Area A however is not composed of one territorial unit, but is divided into thirteen non-contiguous areas.
Furthermore, the Israeli army routinely invades Area As, to arrest Palestinians, making a mockery of Palestinian control there.
The fragmentation of PA jurisdiction in the West Bank has invited comparisons to the Bantustans of Apartheid South Africa. Bantustans were false states set up by the white apartheid regime as a means to enforce the segregationist nature of apartheid, controlling the primarily black population, while disenfranchising them particularly with regards to expropriating their land and resources.
In a recent speech, John Dugard, the former UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, made the comparison directly. Dugard, who is South African and a professor of international law noted:
“Are there Bantustans in the West Bank? And I think the answer to this question is yes. We do see territorial fragmentation of the kind that the South African government promoted in terms of its Bantustan policy. We see, first of all, a very clear separation being made between the West Bank and Gaza. But within the West Bank itself, we see a separation to essentially three or more territories and some additional enclaves with a center, north and south. And it’s quite clear that the Israeli government would like to see the Palestinian Authority as a kind of Bantustan puppet regime.”
Israel’s travel restrictions to PA areas are somewhat contradictory. Visitors can seemingly travel to Area As but must do so by crossing Israeli controlled areas (Area C). This means that visitors have the right to hop between different Area A ‘islands’, but can’t be caught in between.
Moreover, the very restriction on travel is equivalent to a country issuing a visa to a specific area of its country, but not to the whole country. A parallel might be the U.S. issuing a visa only to majority-black Harlem in Manhattan, or the Mashantucket Pequot reservation in Connecticut.
This happens to violate the 1995 Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement (also known as “Oslo II” or “Taba”) which states that “Tourists to the West Bank and the Gaza Strip from countries having diplomatic relations with Israel, who have passed through an international crossing, will not be required to pass any additional entry control before entry into Israel.” (Annex 1, Article IX “Movement Into, Within and Outside the West Bank and the Gaza Strip” 2 (e))
As far as I am aware, this stamp has begun to be issued within the last month, and no Palestinian or international body, official or grassroots, has identified or spoken publicly of the phenomenon, whose scope is also not known.
The stamp has also been issued to at least one American citizen, as the below image taken from a U.S. passport attests.
In this case, the visitor was only issued a one-week visa to PA areas, affirming that Israel also has the power to determine not only the areas visitors go to, but also the time period they spend there.
Though it is not clear why Israel decided to issue this new kind of visa, certain things can be discerned by assessing Israel’s overall policies towards Palestinians, as well as towards those who seek to visit the areas in which they live.
Israel wishes to strictly regulate travel of visitors who come to the country, especially those curious to see the West Bank. Though it is likely to justify its regulation to PA areas only, under security pretexts, this doesn’t really stand up because in order to get to a PA area, you would need to travel through an Israeli controlled area. Even if this visa ensures that Israeli security cannot be breached in pre-1967 Israel, there is nothing preventing the breaching of security in Israeli controlled areas of the West Bank, including areas of Israeli settlements, and settlement by-pass roads, which Jewish settlers and the Israeli occupation army use.
A more likely justification can be found elsewhere. Israel is issuing a visa for a jurisdictional area (the “Palestinian Authority areas”), that the nominal jurisdictional power (the Palestinian Authority) does not control or issue itself. It would seem logical that the Palestinian Authority issues visas for its areas itself. But the PA does not have that power, and Israel is taking the initiative to do so on its behalf, but without PA consent.
The repercussions of this are multifold. “Palestinian Authority areas” become ‘hardened’ as a territorial and jurisdictional unit, when previously these areas were only intended to be temporary areas of jurisdiction, that would eventually form the basis of a future Palestinian state, to be negotiated between Israel and the PLO. Hence, without the need to negotiate the latter, and to gain agreement from the PA for the actual borders of its state-to-be, (and all that entails with regards to sovereignty), Israel is de facto transforming and elevating a pre-existent jurisdictional arrangement, into a de facto border between itself and the areas the Palestinian Authority “controls.” In sum, Israel appears to be issuing a visa for a Bantustan-like state, that is yet to be declared officially, but which de facto is being created by such bureaucratic measures.
Toufic Haddad
Toufic Haddad is a Palestinian-American writer based in Jerusalem. He is the co-author and editor of Between the Lines: Readings in Israel, the Palestinians and the U.S ’War on Terror’ (Haymarket Books, 2007, co-written with Israeli author Tikva Honig-Parnass). His writings ...
Read more about Toufic Haddad ->
Darryl says:
Thanks for this informative post, Toufic.
One question: Do you know if there is any demographic/racial/ethnic distinction in who gets these stamps -- are they reserved for people of Palestinian/Arab/Muslim origin or are others getting them?
Side note: Does anyone know how the passports of Fatah delegates from Lebanon and Syria are being treated and what kind of permits they have?
Nadim Jayousi says:
Thanks Toufic for pointing out this issue.
During our visit to Palestine last month I noticed the same. The Israeli government is making Arabs who hold none Arab nationalities (Americans, Canadians, Swidesh, etc.) to wait until the end of the day, to get the visa which does not include Jerusalem and the Israeli territories- we waited 10 hours and a Swedish/Arab woman with her infant waited even longer!- , only Palestinian territories. I think all Arab-American citizens should raise their voices and complain against this discrimination between US citizens from Arab origins and Native Americans. They complicate the process just to make us think twice before visiting Palestine next time!
Nadim Jayousi says:
Darryl,
Yes. These procedures applies only on people of Palestinian/Arab/Muslim origin or any American who is known with his solidarity with the Palestinian tragedy or journalists
I've seen young Americans with blond hair and blue eyes get stamped quickly!
Russ Wellen says:
"Are there Bantustans in the West Bank? And I think the answer to this question is yes."
As damning a criticism of Israel I've heard, considering its source, the UN.
Nadine says:
I wonder whether those getting Palestinian Authority only visas can actually enter Gaza. I mean Gaza after all is supposedly a PA "area". However, Gaza is a Bantustan within the Bantustans and I would not be suprised that soon enough we will see visa stamps with "Gaza Strip" only. We have reached a pathetic situation.
Fuad says:
Hamra and Tayaseer checkpoints (both in JV, area C) have recently (as far as we know in last month or 2) become "illegal" for any non-palestinians with a tourist visa to cross. Although for quite some time soldiers from these 2 checkpoints have been known to hassle foreigners attempting to cross, recently they have begun claiming it is official policy. To no one's great surprise, it seems Israel is increasing its efforts to limit outside visibility to what is going on in Area C...
Edward says:
Well, Toufic, I think I might be the second American to receive this stamp. Mine was issued on 31 July when I was entering Palestine and in hindsight made the mistake of being honest. They asked what was I doing and I said I was visiting friends in Palestine, in Ramallah. They asked where I was going to stay and for the hotel confirmation number. They asked when I was leaving for Jordan and when I answered a week later, asked for my flight info and confirmation. Then when they asked what else I planned to do on my visit, and I answered just Ramallah, that's when I was asked to provide them with names of my friends, their phone numbers, and their fathers' names. Yes. For the record, I had one of my best travel expereinces in Ramallah, and would go back in a heart beat. (Ramallah has the best outdoor restaurants and cafes and it's the best kept secret in the Middle East!)
Mark says:
The "Palestinian" People declared war on the Jewish People of Palestine long before the establishment of Israel and continue to murder Jews ever since. Why should Israel allow them anything?
Don Harrison says:
It is my understanding that people who state their religion as Jewish or have an Israeli stamp in their passport have for many years experienced problems even being allowed in to many Arab countries!
Jimmy6 says:
"Don Harrison says:
It is my understanding that people who state their religion as Jewish or have an Israeli stamp in their passport have for many years experienced problems even being allowed in to many Arab countries!"
Don, stop making sense. You'll ruin their buzz. The world can always find a reason to justify persecuting Jews.
I am looking forward to the follow up post about why I am not allowed to go visit Saudi Arabia. Or for that matter why the Saudi princes tend to cry for their Palestinian brothers from the decks of opulent yachts or palaces? If Saudi Arabia, the center of Islamic culture and home to the religon's two holiest sites, really cared one iota about their fellow Muslims, they would have made the necessary sacrifices years ago to help them improve their standard of living. But they don't care. They would rather just use their brothers, their own people, as pawns. Because everybody knows that as long as the target of their venom is the Jews, a certain percentage of the people will by into it no matter what. Build schools, not bombs. See how that works out. Before you point your finger, make sure your hand is clean.
Jimmy6 says:
"buy" into it
sadu says:
Israel's oppression of the Palestinian people - and its efforts to hide their daily humiliation and ill treatment - only continues because of the support from the Western governments. Several of these have wide experience inflicting similar hardships, impoverishment and devastation on colonized people across the world. The behavior of Israel's border agents, especially towards people of Palestinian origin, is all of one piece in this country's disgusting heritage. Thanks for the article.
However, Why do you advertise "Free Trip to Israel" (from israel on the House" and "Americans for a Safe Israel" on the top and bottom of your page?
Eric says:
I'm totally missing this. Toufic, man, lots of countries issue regional visas. Ever traveled to Egypt (Israel's next door neighbor)? Egypt issues visas that are only valid for the Sinai Desert. Want to go elsewhere in the country? Got to apply for a different visa. Think there's some big nefarious conspiracy behind that too?
Chill, dude. This is stuff that's taught in International Travel 101.
Nadim Jayosi says:
Don and Mark,
Do not change the subject we are talking about discrimination against American citizens. US does not discriminate against Jews!
Secondly Israel does not allow any Arab citizen - other than Jordanian and Egyptians- to get visa to Israel , so why should Arab let Israelis?!!
Another thing: if you are a Jew born in anywhere in the world then Israel grant you the right to come to Israel and became a citizen. While if you are a Palestinian who was born in Palestine and your grand grand father born in Palestine too still Israel will ban you from coming back to visit your home country(Palestine).
according to UN resolutions 1976 lands are occupied by Israel, and this is the root cause of the whole Middle East issue. if you return the land to its owners thsi would end the issue but you always use the security issue as an execuse to justify your occupation. sorry dude but go and read. just check the population of Palestinians vs. Jews in 1934, 1948, 1976, and now and you will figure out the Israeli plan to evacuate Palestine from it's Native Palestinians.
Lin says:
Nadim,
If that is the case then all of the Arab nations that pushed out Jews with the birth of Israel should pay compensation to them for the property and businesses they lost. Additionally, all that was taken from European Jews during World War II should be given back. The meager payments from Germany to Holocaust survivors isn't even a drop in the bucket compared to what was lost. Maybe if the British hadn't promised so much to both sides and then given the land to Jews because they helped them during WW II, things might have turned out differently. There are so many splinter groups who hate Israel that no matter how much each side gives up, some will never be satisfied until Israel no longer exists, 1948 or 1967 borders or not.
Nadim Jayosi says:
Lin,
being prosecuted by the Nazi Germany through the holocaust is terrible.
But it doesn't give you the right or the excuse to repeat the same holocaust on the Palestinians. What Palestinians has to do with your holocaust any way? Why do they have to pay the price for a crime that they did not commit?
British don't own the land and therefore they gave what they don't own to the people who don't deserve. The current Palestinian government in West Bank and president "Mahmoud Abbas" believes in peace and for the past 5 years we haven't heard about any attacks against Israel coming from the West Bank so why Israel is not cooperating with him? (I am talking about the wise majority not the radical Israeli/Palestinians such as Hamas, Kahana, Shas, Mafdal,..etc.)
Most Palestinians believe in coexistence with Israel. However the Israeli government doesn't see that as good reason to withdraw from the occupied lands.
Eric,
I visited Egypt (Israel's next door neighbor) as an American, and they stamped my passport with 6 months visa to all Egypt. I am not sure where did you get the Sinai story from! you might need a permission to visit Sinai ( permission not a visa) just because Sinai is close to Israel and they want to make sure you don't cause any troubles to Israel, remember that Sinai is not fully under the Egyptians control and they are limited to few soldiers there as it is a border area to Israel.
Most of the comments made by Israelis above deviate from the main subject and don't answer the question: why Israel discriminates between Arab-Americans and Americans? And who gave Israel the right to decide who can access the Palestinian territories?!