president Donald Trump’s Management is newly built up Restrictions on Palestinian visa applicantsmaking it nearly impossible for anyone with a Palestinian authority to receive travel documents and visit the United States for business, work, pleasure and educational purposes.
Palestinian applicants who hold non-Palestinian authorities’ passports can also face difficulties if they require a US visa.
Since early August, the State Department has strengthened what it says is a temporary policy to boost it. Review procedure For Palestinians looking to travel to the US, this means virtually all applications will be rejected or unacceptable for processing.
The move to target Palestinians is part of the administration’s global efforts to reform how US visas are issued; Pollution against illegal immigration – It’s already happening Thousands of student visas have been revokedMany of them are due to pro-Palestinian or anti-Israel activities. As part of the efforts, the Department of State said last week that Review all current US visa holders over 55 million Make sure they are properly examined.
However, measures taken against the Palestinians appear. It is broader than that directed towards other nationalitiesmany of which include exemptions from official travel to the US
On August 1, the department instructed the consuls to refuse visa applications from anyone suspected of having a past or present employment or relationship. Palestinian Liberation Agency or Palestine authority Regardless of the location or purpose of the trip.
August 16th, the department Allowed Palestinian children surrounded by war From Gaza, he comes to the US for treatment following protests from conservative experts.
Two days later, on August 18, the department sent global cable to all US diplomatic posts directing them to reject all non-immigrant visa requests from Palestinian authorities’ passport holders.
“This action is to ensure visa identity and eligibility under US law following the review and screening protocols that require such applications,” according to cable obtained by the Associated Press and previously reported by the New York Times.
The suspension, according to the instructions on August 1, does not apply to Palestinians who hold non-Palestinian authorities’ passports, but it may still be denied if they suspect they have a PA or PLO relationship.
The suspension does not apply to Palestinians seeking immigrant visas, but Cable said Palestinian officials applying to visit the US for official purposes are not exempt from the restrictions.
Then on Friday, the department announced that it had rejected a visa application from the Palestinian authorities, in line with guidance issued a week ago. Mahmoud Abbas And about 80 other Palestinian officials who had planned to attend a high-level meeting at United Nations General Assembly In New York later this month.
“It is in the national security interests of the PLO and PA to be held responsible for not following their commitments and for undermining the outlook for peace,” the department said in a statement.
To be considered a partner in peace, the group said “we need to consistently reject terrorism and end the inciting terrorism in education, as required by US law and promised by PLO.”
Palestinian authorities have denounced the withdrawal of visas as a violation of the US commitment as a UN host country, urging the State Department to reverse that decision. There were no immediate comments from Palestinian authorities regarding broader visa restrictions.
