"Alfassi explained that formerly he and other scientists were able to go through travel agents to obtain visas to the U.S. Now they have to go personally to the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv. He knows of at least one case of a scientist who was not able to attend a conference in this country [the U.S.] because of this system." So things may be a big tougher with the Obama administration, but we're looking at a policy in effect for almost nine years. I would say -- the article is not specific about this -- that what we're looking at is long term State Department hostility to Israel and not Obama's hostility. And, apparently while it's very difficult for scientists from Dimona to obtain U.S. visas, it's not impossible and it certainly is not the case that U.S. entry visas are denied "to all Israeli scientists even remotely connected to the Israel nuclear program." (With thanks to Aaron Lerner, who called my attention to this when he put it up on IMRA.) April 12th, 2010 7:58 am http://imra.org.il/story.php3?id=47717 On April 8, 2010, I wrote an article in this space implying that the Obama administration had instituted a new policy restricting entry to the United This morning (Pacific time) I was able to reach Dr. Alfassi in his office at Ben Gurion University in the Negev. Apparently, my report — and the Alfassi explained that formerly he and other scientists were able to go through travel agents to obtain visas to the U.S. Now they have to go Dr. Alfassi was quite cordial in answering my questions and I thank him.
The White House is disputing a report from the Israeli newspaper Maariv that claims the Obama administration is denying visas to Israeli nuclear scientists. White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said Saturday that "the story is wrong." (FOX News)
CORRECTION: Visa Policy For Israeli Nuclear Scientists Did Not Begin With Obama Admin
http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2010/04/12/correction-visa-policy-for-israeli-nuclear-scientists-did-not-begin-with-obama-admin/
States for Israeli nuclear scientists who worked at the Dimona reactor. I based my article on a report from the Israeli website/newspaper Maariv,
which quoted the nuclear engineering professor Zeev Alfassi as its primary source.
newspaper’s — was inaccurate. The professor informed me that while it was extremely difficult for scientists who worked at Dimona to obtain U.S.
visas, this was not a new policy of the Obama administration. This problem has been going on since 9/11.
personally to the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv. He knows of at least one case of a scientist who was not able to attend a conference in this country because
of this system. European scientists, he said, did not have this problem.
Wednesday 14 April 2010
From Arlene Kushner's daily email:
It started with an article in Maariv, here in Israel and then floated widely -- with multiple versions sent to me by readers: Obama, we were told, has established a policy of blocking visas to Israeli nuclear scientists. This apparently was yet another manifestation of Obama's dissatisfaction with us, another way in which he could inhibit us.
WorldNetDaily, for example, has a piece by Roger Hedgecock that says: "Netanyahu canceled his participation in the conference, sending a lower level delegation to the conference instead. Obama retaliated by barring U.S. entry visas to all Israeli scientists even remotely connected to the Israel nuclear program."
I see...
The State Department has denied that there is such a policy, however. What to believe?
Now we have an answer: Roger L. Simon, who writes the blog Pajamas Media, had originally carried theMaariv report, but decided to do some checking -- for which he merits appreciation. He contacted the nuclear scientist, Dr. Zeev Alfasi, at Ben Gurion University in the Negev, who was the main scientist cited by Maariv. This is what Simon writes:
"Apparently, my report — and the newspaper’s — was inaccurate. The professor informed me that while it was extremely difficult for scientists who worked at Dimona to obtain U.S. visas, this was not a new policy of the Obama administration. This problem has been going on since 9/11.
White House Disputes Report that U.S. Stopped Issuing Visas to Israeli Scientists
Tuesday, April 13, 2010 US has discriminated against Israeli Nuclear Scientists for years
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