Israel is on the brink of joining the United States' Visa Waiver Program, after an unofficial communication from the US has confirmed that Israel satisfies all the prerequisites for inclusion, Maariv reported on Saturday night.
According to the report, Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to endorse Israel's candidacy for the program on September 27. The US is expected to formally announce Israel's inclusion in the program the following day, the report added.
Negotiations over this issue began during the previous government’s term and have picked up steam in recent months.
Under the stewardship of former US Ambassador to Israel Thomas Nides, Israel reached several significant milestones in the process, including helping the refusal rate for tourist visa applications to fall to below the three percent benchmark set by the US State Department, while the Knesset finalized legislation allowing Israel to share biometric data with the US.
Last month, several sources involved in the Israeli effort to join the US Visa Waiver Program told Kan 11 News that the matter is progressing.
The sources said that the matter is progressing, and the Americans are satisfied. "We're optimistic," they stated.