US: Israel must stop discriminating against Arab-Americans

State Department says US repeatedly told Israel that Palestinian Americans must be treated like any other US citizen at border crossings; However, Spokesman McCormack says issue is a 'continuing problem'
Associated Press
Ynetnews.com 03.21.08, 01:12

The United States has told Israel repeatedly that Arab-American Palestinians must be treated as American citizens at border crossings or anywhere else, the State Department said Thursday. Still, said spokesman Sean McCormack, "it's a continuing issue. It's a continuing problem."

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McCormack's comments were in response to question about a letter that Arab-American community leader James Zogby sent to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that complained of the problem as "an issue for many decades" for Arab-Americans.

"Our view, as expressed by Secretary Rice, former Undersecretary (Nicholas) Burns, former Assistant Secretary Maura Harty, our ambassador, the acting assistant secretary for consulate affairs, recently, and a variety of other people, to the Israeli government is that American citizen is American citizen is American citizen," McCormack said. "There are no second classes…You have a blue American passport, you should be treated like an American citizen."

'Government efforts ultimately ineffective'In an earlier meeting with reporters Thursday, McCormack had said: "We expect all American citizens to be accorded the rights that any other American citizen would be accorded."
In his letter, Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute, wrote that he had "brought this matter to the attention of the Department of State several times, dating back at least 30 years. Past administrations have expressed concern over this matter, but the efforts of our government have been ultimately ineffective."

On Wednesday, the State Department said that Israeli authorities may question Palestinian Americans on arrival in Israel and require them to obtain a Palestinian Authority travel documents.