February 23, 2003

Visa Headaches

[Bethlehem, West Bank] There's something very important to internationals living and traveling around the world. It's called a 'visa.' A visa is permission to stay in (and sometimes leave) a country. The length and availability of a visa largely depends on several things including your nationality, your expected work in the country, and sometimes the amount you want to spend. And of course in Israel, it depends on whether you work with Palestinians.

Last year a local newspaper reported that Israel had denied entry to 2,000 people who had attempted to visit Israel and work with Palestinians. I'm not sure how accurate that number is, but I know of a few who were not allowed to enter. This group included doctors working for various humanitarian organizations, a few Christian religious leaders, and some International Solidarity Movement volunteers. Your religion, nationality, and official position made no difference. Who was admitted and who wasn't? Sometimes it seemed random chance.

I'll have to admit that I've had decent luck working in Palestine. I've only had three-month 'tourist' visas since I arrived a year and a half ago. The Israeli Ministry of Interior rejected my application for a one-year work visa, so I've been living on these accumulated three-month tourist visas. It means that I have to leave the country every three months. To be honest, I didn't mind leaving for a few days. It gave me a break from various military invasions and curfews. And I got to see some cool places and meet some interesting people in the process.

But this time my luck ran out. When my visa expired, I left Israel and went to Cairo for four days. (And I had a great time. The pyramids are probably the coolest things I've ever seen.) When I returned to Israel, they only gave me a two-week visa. That means that I can only stay here for two more weeks before I have to leave again. And who knows what will happen when I try to return? Maybe all will be forgotten, and I'll be allowed to stay for three more months. Or maybe I won't be allowed to enter Israel again. After all, I am a church worker teaching and working with Palestinians.