Washington: The United States has significantly expanded its visa restrictions on Palestinians, suspending approvals for nearly all holders of Palestinian passports and revoking visas for top officials of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian Authority (PA), including President Mahmoud Abbas.
According to reports, the State Department has instructed its embassies and consulates worldwide to deny most non-immigrant visa applications from Palestinian passport holders, regardless of their location. The measure affects students, business travelers, medical patients, and tourists, severely curtailing the mobility of Palestinians seeking entry into the United States.
The move comes just weeks before the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where world leaders, including representatives from Palestine, are expected to gather. Although the U.S. said it would allow the Palestinian UN mission to attend under a waiver to meet international obligations, individual leaders such as Abbas and senior PLO members have been barred from entry.
The restrictions were laid out in an August 18 cable from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, citing the need for enhanced vetting and national security considerations. U.S. officials have also linked the policy to holding Palestinian leaders accountable for what they described as obstructing peace processes and failing to meet commitments.
The move has drawn sharp criticism from the Palestinian Authority, which called the decision a violation of international law and an attempt to silence its leadership on the world stage. The United Nations has sought clarification from Washington regarding compliance with obligations to ensure access for all member states’ representatives.
Human rights advocates and lawmakers in the United States have also voiced concern. More than 140 House Democrats urged the administration to exempt injured children from Gaza seeking urgent medical treatment in the U.S., many of whom had already cleared Israeli security screenings. Critics argue that the blanket suspension could have life-threatening consequences and disproportionately harms civilians.
The new restrictions expand on earlier measures that had already halted visa issuance for Gaza residents. With the latest directive, the suspension now applies broadly to Palestinians from Gaza, the West Bank, and the diaspora, marking one of the most sweeping U.S. visa crackdowns on a specific nationality in recent years.
The State Department has defended the move as consistent with national security objectives, but the decision has added fresh tensions to U.S.–Palestinian relations at a moment of heightened regional instability and international debate over the future of Palestinian statehood.