The United States has suspended nearly all visa approvals for holders of Palestinian passports, the New York Times reported on Sunday, in a move that is expected to disrupt travel for students, patients, and professionals. The new restrictions go beyond earlier measures announced under Donald Trump’s administration, which had primarily targeted visitors from Gaza.
The decision effectively bars Palestinians from entering the US for medical treatment, higher education, and business travel, sparking widespread concern among advocacy groups. Pro-Palestinian organizations condemned the measure, calling it discriminatory and harmful to ordinary civilians.
Two weeks ago, the State Department announced it was halting all visitor visas for individuals from Gaza while it conducted “a full and thorough review.” On Friday, it went further by denying and revoking visas for members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Palestinian Authority (PA) ahead of the upcoming UN General Assembly in New York.
As host nation of the UN, the US is obligated to grant access to foreign officials attending the annual assembly. However, Washington insisted it was complying with its commitments by allowing the Palestinian mission to attend, even while restricting broader visa access.
“The Trump administration has been clear: it is in our national security interests to hold the PLO and PA accountable for not complying with their commitments and for undermining the prospects for peace,” the State Department said in a statement.The move aligns Washington more closely with Israel’s right-wing government, which strongly opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state.
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