For Israeli citizens seeking permanent residency or visas to the United States, the application process has taken a frightening intensive new turn. U.S. immigration officials are now subjecting Israelis to detailed questioning about their military service records, including probing for potential involvement in war crimes.
As reported by Ynet, this new line of inquiry catches many applicants off guard. Yuval, a senior tech executive in Silicon Valley, was surprised by the immigration letter demanding a sworn affidavit with exhaustive details about his stint in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) from 2005-2008. He was asked to describe any combat roles, use of weapons and explosives, guarding of detainees, and instances where he directly engaged others with explosive force.
"I felt like the questions were copied from the Office of the Chief Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in The Hague," Yuval remarked, underscoring the aggressive legal tone of the queries.
The requirement appears to be part of a new U.S. policy specifically targeting Israelis. Immigration attorney Liam Schwartz explains that the aim is to weed out any potential war crimes or acts that could constitute genocide based on an applicant's military record. Even routine IDF reserve duty could raise red flags.
The policy's impact has proven far-reaching. Revital, who served a recent IDF reserve stint, was denied a U.S. tourist visa after consular officials grilled her on combat training and weapons use. Meanwhile, Ofer, an Israeli executive, faced hours of detention and interrogation by U.S. customs officials who scrutinized his old IDF unit's communications.
For Israelis accustomed to treating military service as a traditional rite of passage, this new lens from U.S. immigration authorities has stirred concerns. Israel also has confidentiality laws surrounding military information, creating a legal tangle. As Schwartz warns, for some Israeli applicants, the scrutiny may prove too prohibitive, forcing them to simply abandon plans to study, work or reside in the United States.
