US Revokes, Denies Palestinian Officials' Visas Ahead Of UN General Assembly, Cites Terror Support

(MENAFN- Live Mint) The US State Department on Friday said that it is revoking and denying visas from members of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority ahead of the upcoming UN General Assembly in September.

In a post on X, State Department Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott cited Palestine's links with 'terrorism' as the reason for the decision.

“Today the Trump Administration is announcing it will deny and revoke visas from members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian Authority (PA) ahead of the upcoming UN General Assembly per U.S. law,” Pigott said in a post on X.

“Before we take them seriously as partners in peace, the PA and PLO must completely reject terrorism and stop counterproductively pursuing the unilateral recognition of a hypothetical state,” he added.

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The US State department did not provide a list of officials targeted by the move.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is among the top leaders who will travel to New York in September to deliver an address at the UNGA. However, it was unclear whether he was included in the restrictions.

The Palestinians' ambassador to the UN, Riyad Mansour, told reporters that they were checking exactly what the US move means“and how it applies to any of our delegation, and we will respond accordingly.”

In July, the US imposed sanctions on Palestinian Authority officials and members of the Palestine Liberation Organisation.

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In a statement, the State Department said that“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.”

Palestinian Authority officials have rejected claims of undermining peace prospects.

Meanwhile, other Western powers have move toward recognition of Palestinian statehood. In recent weeks, Canada, Britain, Australia and France and other US allies have indicated their intention to recognise Palestine as a country at UNGA, which is scheduled for late September.

Under the 1947 UN "headquarters agreement," the US is generally required to allow access for foreign diplomats to the UN in New York. But Washington has said it can deny visas for security, terrorism and foreign policy reasons.

Israel reacts

Israel has said that the US move to deny Palestinians visas for the UN summit is a 'bold step'.

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