Some go hoping to parley contacts with relatives in America into permanent citizenship. But more say they just want a few months of steady work or, in some cases, simply a break from the oppressive tension in their hometowns. Saud Ismail Kharuf, who waited in the blistering sun outside the door of the consulate one day recently, only had to describe his morning's journey to explain why he wanted to take his first trip to America. Usually, it would be less than a 90-minute drive. Also, the Israeli closures and the resulting slide in the local economy have cut Kharuf's food distribution business nearly in half.
Temporary visas are usually tourist visas good for six months, though they can be extended.
U.S. officials grant them to applicants who can prove they intend to return from their trip by showing, for example, money in local banks, ownership in a local business or family ties. The refusal rate has stayed at about 60 percent as the applications have increased. Still, temporary visas are easier to get and more common than permanent immigrant visas. The latter can take years, and require the applicants to have a special connection to a U.S. citizen, such as a spouse. In addition to Jerusalem, Palestinians can get visas at the U.S. consulate in Tel Aviv.