In brief
The US government has imposed a near-total ban on visitor visas for Palestinian passport holders, following a recent decision that also denied entry to a number of Palestinian officials ahead of the UN General Assembly. This policy, which seeks to bolster national security, extends beyond Gaza to include the West Bank. The State Department has remained non-committal about the specifics but indicates that visa decisions are being closely tied to national security assessments.
US officials have further restricted visitor visas for Palestinians, by denying them to almost all applicants who use a Palestinian passport, media reports say.
The development comes days after 80 Palestinian officials were denied visas ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Earlier in August, visitor visas were paused for people hoping to travel from the Palestinian territory of Gaza. This newly-reported decree affects a wider group - including people living in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
The Department of State did not confirm the move but said it was 'taking concrete steps in compliance with US law and our national security.'
The decision was issued in a diplomatic cable dated 18 August, according to reports from the New York Times and CNN. US consular officers were instructed to refuse non-immigrant visas to 'all otherwise eligible Palestinian Authority passport holders.'
This denial encompasses Palestinians planning to visit for business, study, or medical treatment, essentially creating a blanket ban on visas for those traveling on Palestinian passports. Additionally, Palestinians who apply with other passports will remain unaffected.
It is not clear what prompted the reported move, although the Trump administration has consistently backed Israel's military efforts against Hamas in Gaza. This news follows recognition announcements of a Palestinian state by several US allies, including the UK, Canada, and France, conditions which the US has not adopted.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was among a group of officials blocked from attending the upcoming UN General Assembly session due to visa revocations. The US State Department had already suspended approvals for visitor visas specifically for Palestinians from Gaza.
The US visa restrictions are now expanded to encompass residents from the West Bank and the broader Palestinian diaspora, posing further challenges for Palestinians seeking passage for various purposes. The State Department reiterated that each visa decision is made with national security in mind and that strict vetting is taking place for Palestinian Authority passport holders.
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