April 8th, 2010 12:27 pm
Pajamas Media
by Roger L. SimonThe Obama administration is now denying U.S. visas to Israeli scientists who work at that nation’s Dimona nuclear reactor. This startling reversal of traditional policy was reported April 7, 2010, in the Israeli website/newspaper NRG/Maariv (link to the original Hebrew here and to an exclusive Pajamas Media translation here).
This could be yet another flashpoint in the increasingly sensitive relations between the administration, the American Jewish community, and Israel. The revelation in Maariv came only a day before the arrival in New York of Tariq Ramadan — controversial grandson of Muslim Brotherhood founder Hassan al Banna — whose visa was reportedly championed by Secretary of State Clinton. Yesterday as well, new rules disavowing the term “Islamic radicalism” were announced by Secretary of Defense Gates.
According to Maariv: “…. workers at the Dimona reactor who submitted VISA requests to visit the United States for ongoing university education in Physics, Chemistry and Nuclear Engineering — have all been rejected, specifically because of their association with the Dimona reactor. This is a new policy decision of the Obama administration, since there never used to be an issue with the reactor’s workers from study in the USA, and till recently, they received VISAs and studied in the USA.”
Israeli defense officials are stating these workers have no criminal records in the U.S. or Israel and have been singled out purely because of their place of employment. Moreover, nuclear materials for the Dimona reactor apparently do not come from the U.S. Zeev Alfasi — head of nuclear engineering at Israel’s Ben Gurion University — states that “the United States doesn’t sell anything nuclear-related to the Dimona reactor, and that means absolutely nothing. Radiation detectors, for example, have to be purchased now in France because the USA refuses to sell these to Israel.”
Pajamas Media contacted the U.S. Department of State concerning this new visa policy toward Israeli scientists. We were told by their press department that federal law prohibits them from discussing individual visa cases.
UPDATE: Others covering this story – Joshua Pundit and Bookworm.
______________________
Joshua Pundit
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Obama's New Policy : All Israeli Nuclear Workers Now Refused US Visas
"No Jews Allowed!"
NRG/Maariv (Hebrew link only, sorry) reported today that the Israeli government was stunned when every nuclear technician at Israel's Dimona reactor who had submitted visa requests to visit the United States for ongoing university education in Physics, Chemistry and Nuclear Engineering had their visa applications summarily rejected, specifically because of their association with the Dimona reactor.
This is a new policy decision of the Obama administration. Up until now, it was routine for Israeli nuclear scientists and technicians to receive such visas and to study at US universities.
Israeli security officials have confirmed that these technicians are being denied visas solely because of their employment at the Dimona reactor.
Not only are employees at Dimonas taboo, but reportedly the US has an unofficial embargo on selling anything to be used at the site.
Professor Zeev Alfasi, the head of Nuclear Engineering at Ben-Gurion University in the Negev stated that "the United States doesn't sell anything nuclear-related to the Dimona reactor, and that means absolutely nothing. Radiation detectors, for example have to be purchased now in France because the USA refuses to sell these to Israel."
Here's the odd bit. Obama and his minions might believe that these sneaky, underhanded Jews are all spies, but in real life, nuclear espionage here in America has only occurred from China or from Obama's friends in the Muslim world...especially Iran and Pakistan.
This may very well be a precursor to the denying of visas to Israeli academics, at least on a de facto basis.
hat tip and a commendation to long time Joshua's Army member Joyce C.
________________________________
Book Worm Room
Obama drops another bomb in his war against Israel
A lot of you read the same things I do, so maybe one of you knows where I can find an excellent opinion piece I read the other day urging the Obama administration to stop providing nuclear educations for Iranian engineers. Iran, after all, has committed itself to our imminent destruction.Joshapundit has now published the companion piece to that editorial, and it should make your hair stand on end. The Obama administration is barring a significant group of Israel’s nuclear technicians from entering the U.S.:
NRG/Maariv (Hebrew link only, sorry) reported today that the Israeli government was stunned when every nuclear technician at Israel’s Dimona reactor who had submitted visa requests to visit the United States for ongoing university education in Physics, Chemistry and Nuclear Engineering had their visa applications summarily rejected, specifically because of their association with the Dimona reactor.Please read the rest here and then ask yourself: In the United States of Obama, who’s the enemy?
UPDATE: Thanks to Gracchus for the link I was looking for.
