Trump admin bans all Palestinian passport holders from entering US amid support for Israel

The US State Department has announced a sweeping ban on issuing visas to all Palestinian passport holders worldwide, blocking entry for students, tourists, business travelers, and even those seeking medical treatment.

According to CNN, a cable dated August 18 directed American diplomats to reject all non-immigrant visa applications from Palestinian passport holders, stating the policy was “effective immediately.”

The directive applies to “all otherwise eligible Palestinian Authority passport holders.”

The move is being viewed as another hardline measure in support of Israel, particularly as several European countries take steps toward recognisng a Palestinian state.

As per reports, the policy was decided on August 16 but remained under review until its sudden enforcement. Just last week, Washington denied visas to Palestinian officials scheduled to attend the UN General Assembly in New York this month.

The decision underscores Washington’s deepening alignment with Israel, even as European nations call for an end to Israel’s siege of Gaza.

https://dialoguepakistan.com/en/world/trump-admin-bans-all-palestinian-passport-holders-from-entering-us-amid-support-for-israelThe ongoing blockade has triggered famine and widespread hunger, while the ongoing massacre of civilians in Gaza has breached every principle of international humanitarian law.

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The US State Department announced on Friday that it is “denying and revoking” visas of members of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and the Palestinian Authority (PA) ahead of the UN General Assembly session in September.

In a statement, the department said the decision aims to hold the PLO and PA “accountable” for what it described as their failure to uphold commitments and for “undermining prospects for peace.”

However, it remains unclear whether the move will affect Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s attendance at the assembly.

While Palestine is not a full UN member, it holds observer state status, a designation granted after the US vetoed a Security Council resolution in April that sought to recognise it as a state.

The PLO, which represents Palestinians internationally, and the PA, which governs parts of the occupied territories, both maintain diplomatic missions abroad.

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The State Department confirmed that the PA’s mission in New York would retain its “immunity under the UN Headquarters Agreement.” The US is legally obliged to grant foreign diplomats access to the UN but retains the right to deny visas on national security or terrorism grounds.

According to BBC, visas of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and 80 other Palestinian officials were revoked under the new policy. 

In July, Washington announced visa bans on unspecified PLO and PA officials, citing alleged support for terrorism. President Donald Trump, a strong ally of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, also introduced restrictions during his tenure to curb Palestinian diplomatic influence.