The United States has revoked visas for several Palestinian Authority (PA) and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) officials ahead of next month’s United Nations General Assembly, the State Department confirmed Friday, reported by Euro News. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also ordered some new visa applications from Palestinian officials to be denied, marking the latest in a series of measures targeting Palestinian representatives.
The action coincides with the Israeli military’s declaration of Gaza City as a combat zone, further heightening tensions in the region. In addition, the State Department suspended a program that allowed injured Palestinian children from Gaza to come to the United States for medical treatment—a move prompted by a social media backlash among conservative groups.
The department did not disclose how many visas were revoked or denied, nor did it clarify whether Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas would be affected. However, the statement noted that representatives assigned to the PA mission at the UN in New York would receive waivers under the US host-country agreement, allowing them to continue operations.
“It is in our national security interests to hold the PLO and PA accountable for not complying with their commitments and for undermining the prospects for peace,” the statement read. It emphasized that the PLO and PA must repudiate terrorism—including the October 7 attacks—and end incitement in education before being considered partners for peace.
Palestinian Ambassador to the UN, Riyad Mansour, said he had only just learned of Rubio’s decision and was assessing its implications. Abbas is expected to lead the Palestinian delegation to the General Assembly and to address the body, as he has done for many years. He is also slated to attend a high-level meeting co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia on September 22, focused on a two-state solution.
Currently, 147 of the UN’s 193 member states recognize Palestine, which has held the status of a non-member observer state since 2012.
