U.S. Escalates Visa Restrictions on Palestinian Passport Holders

2025-09-01 01:47:15

(MENAFN) The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has significantly widened its visa restrictions on Palestinian passport holders, effectively suspending the issuance of nearly all types of non-immigrant visas, according to media.

A report published Sunday revealed that the extended ban now blocks access to visas for a broad range of purposes, including business travel, university education, medical treatment, and visits with family or friends.

Outlined in a State Department cable dated August 18 and sent to U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide, the directive marks a dramatic escalation of a policy that had previously targeted only residents of Gaza. The updated measure now encompasses Palestinians living in the West Bank and those in the wider diaspora.

Earlier in the month, the Trump administration took further steps by revoking the visas of members of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority, effectively barring them from participating in the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The U.S. State Department justified the policy as a security measure, citing threats to national safety and alleging that Palestinian leaders have not distanced themselves from terrorism.

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