Foreigners won't have to report their relationship with the Palestinians after all: Israel caved in under pressure?

Yesterday, Israel, allegedly under pressure from the United States of America (USA) and European governments, announced amended regulations for the entry of foreigners into the West Bank and they will not have to declare their relationship with the Palestinians.

Israel's defense ministry's division, COGAT, in charge of Palestinian civil affairs, released the draft regulations in February and were scheduled to take effect in July, but were delayed by the Supreme Court.

The amended document will enter into force on October 20, Israeli media reported last night.

It removed the requirement that foreigners entering the occupied West Bank must notify Israeli authorities within one month of becoming engaged, married or cohabiting with Palestinians.

Originally, it was stipulated that if the relationship with a foreigner begins when he arrives in that territory, then the authorized official of the department must be informed within 30 days about it and in writing.

In addition, an application for formalization of status must be submitted to the Palestinian Authority.

COGAT removed the February draft document from the Internet and replaced it with a new 90-page version dated September 4.

The new draft also allows for the extension of visas for foreigners from 90 to 180 days, and removed restrictions on visiting lecturers and students at Palestinian universities, with the provision that 100 professors and 150 students could come annually.

Israel also agreed to a trial period of two years and that the regulations could be changed during that period.

Despite the changes and publication of the revised regulations, the US government is still concerned and US Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides has confirmed this.

The ambassador announced in a statement that since February, the US Embassy in Jerusalem, the US Office for Palestinian Affairs and he have been cooperating with the government of Israel to determine the regulations and announced that they will continue to do so until they are implemented and during the two-year trial period.

He said he remains concerned about those regulations, particularly COGAT's role in determining whether a person invited to Palestinian educational institutions is qualified to enter the West Bank.

The announcement emphasizes the importance of transparency and fair and equal treatment of all US citizens and other foreigners traveling to the West Bank.