Discrimination

Your report (June 17) and the subsequent letter to the editor (July 1) about the Saudi Arabian denial of a visa to an American businessman because he identified his religion as “Jewish” is a case of the pot calling the kettle black.

It is reprehensible for any nation--Arab or other--to discriminate on the basis of race, religion, or place of origin. I too have been a victim of such discrimination.

I am a Palestinian and a permanent resident of the United States. When I applied for a visa to Israel to visit my family who live in Nazareth (formerly Palestine, now Israel), my request was denied because my U.S. travel document shows “Palestine” as my country of claimed nationality. The Israeli Consulate in Los Angeles wants me to change it to “undefined” before they will consider granting me the visa. Is that any different from the Saudi request that the American businessman not identify himself as “Jewish”?

Just as Arab-Americans are appalled by such incidents as that of the Jewish-American businessman denied entry to an Arab country, so too should Jewish-Americans be appalled by Israel’s racism.

JAMAL AWAD

Irvine