The US State Department has restricted visas for Palestinian officials ahead of the UN General Assembly in New York, including Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas, saying Palestinian leaders have failed to meet commitments to the United States and are taking steps that undermine prospects for peace.
Abbas, who was scheduled to speak on September 24, was not named in the State Department statement but is included in the restrictions.
The move follows a State Department determination that the Palestinian Authority and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) had again failed to comply with commitments under the PLO Commitments Compliance Act of 1989 and the Middle East Peace Commitments Act of 2002.
Washington cited Palestinian actions at international organizations, including efforts involving the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice, which it said sought to “internationalize the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.” It also accused Palestinian officials of trying to bypass negotiations by seeking unilateral recognition.
Other concerns cited by the State Department included continued payments of stipends to terrorists and the glorification of terrorism and terrorists in public statements and school textbooks.
“As a consequence of their failure to reform, contrary to their commitments to the United States, and their ongoing activities that undermine the prospects for peace, the United States will extend sanctions that deny visas to PLO members and PA officials in accordance with section 604(a)(1) of the MEPCA,” the statement said.
An existing waiver will remain in place for personnel assigned to the PLO Observer Mission to the United Nations.
The State Department said the restrictions were intended to impose consequences for Palestinian actions rather than prevent the UN mission from operating.
“It is in our national interest to impose consequences and hold the PLO and PA accountable for glorifying terrorism,” it said.
