Ben-Gvir Cancels 'Luxury Trip' to US Amid Reports of Visa Hurdles
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has reportedly cancelled his planned visit to the United States. According to various local Israeli media reports, this cancellation occurred after Ben-Gvir faced obstacles during the visa application process at the US Embassy.
The news of the cancellation was first broadcast by Channel 12 News and was later detailed by the daily newspaper Haaretz. The cancellation comes just days after it was revealed that the far-right minister intended to travel to the US using funds provided by a wealthy Israeli businessman residing in Miami.
According to the reports, Ben-Gvir had previously been requested to visit the US Embassy to undergo fingerprinting procedures as part of the visa application process. Following this, he decided to cancel his entire travel itinerary.
As of now, neither Ben-Gvir’s office nor US government authorities have provided official clarification as to whether this cancellation is directly related to the visa complications.
Last week, an investigation by Haaretz revealed that Ben-Gvir planned to fly to the US to attend the wedding of the daughter of Yaakov Elharar, an Israeli businessman based in Miami. Elharar was also reported to be funding the entirety of the travel expenses.
The luxury travel package included flights and accommodation for Ben-Gvir, his wife, and their children, with an estimated value reaching tens of thousands of shekels. Additionally, several official security personnel from the Prime Minister’s Office were scheduled to accompany him, with their costs covered by the state.
The planned visit immediately drew sharp scrutiny and public criticism regarding the strict regulations governing government officials’ travel funded by private parties.
Under Israeli law, a minister is only permitted to accept travel facilities from private parties if it is proven that there is no conflict of interest, and it is ensured that such facilities are not provided due to the influence of their public office.