The United States has halted visa approvals for most holders of Palestinian passports, according to a report by the New York Times on Sunday.
The new measures extend beyond earlier restrictions imposed by Donald Trump’s administration on visitors from Gaza. They will block Palestinians from entering the U.S. for medical care, education, and professional travel, the report stated, citing unnamed officials.
Two weeks ago, the State Department announced a pause on all visitor visas for individuals from Gaza while conducting a detailed review, a decision criticized by Palestinian advocacy groups.
On Friday, the U.S. confirmed it had begun denying and revoking visas for members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Palestinian Authority (PA) ahead of the UN General Assembly meeting in September.
While the U.S., as the host of the UN in New York, is generally expected to grant visas to officials attending the assembly, the State Department stated it was adhering to agreements by permitting the Palestinian delegation to participate.
“This administration has emphasized that holding the PLO and PA responsible for failing to meet commitments and hindering peace efforts is a matter of national security,” the State Department said in a statement.
The decision further reinforces the alignment between the Trump administration and Israel’s government, which firmly opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Jason Burke contributed to this report.
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