Last update - 02:37 18/10/2006 U.S. protests restrictions on its citizens entering West Bank By Aluff Benn, Haaretz Correspondent

The United States government has lodged a vigorous protest with Israel over its restrictions on the entry of Palestinian-Americans into the territories.

State Department officials told senior Israeli diplomats in Washington that they find it "hard to understand" Israel's discriminating against American citizens based on their ethnic background.

The officials also stressed that in the past, the U.S. had encouraged Palestinian-Americans to settle in the territories, in order to facilitate Palestinian economic growth. Some of these individuals own homes and businesses in the territories, and the Israeli restrictions make it hard for them to look after their assets.

Israel promised to look into the American complaint. A diplomatic source in Jerusalem said on Tuesday that the individuals involved have been blacklisted for security reasons, based on targeted intelligence.

I don't get it American citizens are supporting terrorism in Israel and the American State Department takes the side of the terrorist. I am sure that the roles these” American" Palestinians play is moving funds for terrorist, I say the next time these "Americans" come back to Israel, Israel needs to kill them as a message to all that hiding behind an American passport will not allow you to engage in acts that will result in dead Jews.

But we all know the Israeli government most likely will go no farther than barring these terrorist from entering Judea and Samaria (west bank).