The United States has extended visa restrictions on officials of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), citing what Washington says are continued failures to meet commitments made to the United States.
The US State Department announced the decision on Wednesday, ahead of the upcoming 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The department said it had reviewed the PA and PLO’s compliance under the PLO Commitments Compliance Act of 1989 and the Middle East Peace Commitments Act of 2002 and notified Congress of its findings.
According to the State Department, Washington objects to what it describes as Palestinian efforts to internationalize the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through institutions including the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ). It also cited efforts toward unilateral international recognition of a Palestinian state and alleged violations of previous commitments related to UN Security Council resolutions 242 and 338.
The US government also accused the PA and PLO of continuing to provide payments to individuals involved in terrorism and of using public statements and educational materials that, in Washington’s assessment, praise terrorism or those involved in it. These are US government allegations and were cited by the State Department as grounds for extending the restrictions.
Under Section 604(a)(1) of the Middle East Peace Commitments Act, the United States will continue restricting visas for affected PLO members and PA officials.
Exemption for PLO mission at the UN
The State Department said a standing waiver will remain in place for individuals officially designated to serve at the PLO Observer Mission to the United Nations.
The announcement comes shortly before world leaders gather in New York for the annual UN General Assembly.
The restrictions also mean that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has again been denied a US visa, preventing him from attending the General Assembly in person. This is the second consecutive year that Abbas has been barred from travelling to New York for the UN gathering. Last year, he addressed the assembly remotely.
Palestine currently holds non-member observer state status at the United Nations rather than full UN membership. The latest US decision comes amid continuing international debate over the Gaza war, Palestinian statehood and efforts toward a political resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
