OMM Redaksiyası
The United States has extended visa restrictions on officials of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). The State Department said the decision was linked to the PA and PLO’s failure to meet obligations set out under US law.
Washington accused the Palestinian leadership of seeking to bring the Israeli-Palestinian conflict before international bodies, including the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice, and of taking steps toward the “unilateral recognition” of a Palestinian state.
The State Department also alleged that Palestinian officials support or endorse terrorism and make payments to people convicted of attacks. The department said sanctions blocking the issuance of visas to PLO members and PA officials had been extended because the required reforms had not been implemented.
The decision came one year after the United States denied or revoked visas for Palestinian officials ahead of the UN General Assembly. As a result, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was unable to travel to New York.
The UN General Assembly later allowed Palestine to participate remotely in meetings, and Abbas addressed the assembly through a pre-recorded video message. This year’s restrictions have again raised questions over whether Abbas and other senior Palestinian officials will be able to attend the session in person.
According to the US State Department, an exception remains in place for personnel formally designated to the PLO’s observer mission to the United Nations. The Palestinian Authority did not immediately issue a public statement on the decision.
US officials said the restrictions are part of a broader policy concerning visa screening. Paloma Chacon, deputy spokesperson for the State Department, said the United States considers every visa decision a national security matter.
She said applications involving participants in the UN General Assembly were also covered by this approach. Chacon said the United States takes its obligations as the host country seriously, but would maintain screening and vetting standards for all applicants.
The decision came amid longstanding disagreements over how to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. US officials oppose Palestine’s recognition and its use of international bodies for legal action, while Palestinian officials argue that US-backed negotiations have failed to end the occupation or lead to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
Palestine holds non-member observer state status at the United Nations and does not have voting rights in the General Assembly. The visa dispute comes as the US administration is taking a tougher position toward the International Criminal Court.
The UN General Assembly is the organization’s main policy-making and representative body, bringing together all UN member states for an annual high-level session. Palestine’s observer status allows it to participate in many proceedings, although it cannot vote on resolutions.
