Netanyahu welcomes the American decision: "an important moment"

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu today (Wednesday) welcomed Israel's inclusion in the American Visa Waiver Program. According to him, "Today, we mark an important and joyous moment for all Israeli citizens. Israel has been accepted into the US Visa Waiver Program, finally after many years."

Netanyahu addressed the Israeli public, saying, "This will save you, the citizens of Israel, a lot of time, a lot of hassle, and a lot of money. Those who want to visit the United States will no longer have to wait for months just to get an appointment. We've been working on this for many years, almost a decade, especially in the past year when we passed extensive legislation in the Knesset, legislation that provided the legal basis for this process. Only about 40 countries in the world are exempt from visas, and now Israel has also joined that list."

Video: Roy Avraham/GPO, Sound: Ben Peretz/GPO

"Further evidence of the strong ties between the countries"

Netanyahu also referred to the relationship between the two countries, saying, "This decision is another testament to the strong bond between Israel and the United States. I want to express our deep gratitude to President Joe Biden for his support of this process, a process that will further strengthen the ties between our nations."

To conclude, he thanked senior Americans for the decision: "I also want to thank the Secretary of State Blinken for his important role in this process, to Secretary Mayorkas and to former Ambassador Tom Nides for their efforts. Thanks also to the National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi and to all those who have worked for many years to achieve this significant accomplishment. Warm congratulations to the citizens of Israel, and have a pleasant flight."