The United States has announced an extension of visa sanctions that will restrict entry into the country for members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and officials of the Palestinian Authority (PA), ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The US State Department said on Wednesday that it had informed Congress that the PLO and PA had again failed to meet commitments required under US law.
According to the department, the decision was based partly on what Washington described as efforts by Palestinian officials to pursue the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through international institutions rather than through direct negotiations.
The State Department specifically cited Palestinian actions involving the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ), saying these constituted efforts to “internationalize the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.”
The department also pointed to Palestinian officials' efforts to seek international recognition of a Palestinian state, which it characterised as an attempt to “bypass negotiations.”
In addition, the US accused the PLO and PA of continuing practices that it described as providing stipends to terrorists and glorifying terrorism.
“As a consequence of their failure to reform ... the United States will extend sanctions that deny visas to PLO members and PA officials,” the State Department said in a statement.
The measures come shortly before the opening of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, which is scheduled to convene in New York.
The latest announcement follows a similar decision by Washington in 2025, when the United States denied or revoked visas for PLO and PA officials ahead of the UN General Assembly. However, the PA Mission to the United Nations received waivers under the UN Headquarters Agreement, which governs the United States' obligations as host country for the UN headquarters.
The visa restrictions could have implications for the participation of Palestinian representatives in the annual gathering, where world leaders and senior government officials meet to discuss international issues.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was unable to attend the previous year's General Assembly in person after the US visa restrictions were imposed. He instead addressed the gathering virtually.
There was no immediate public response from the Palestinian side to the latest US announcement.
Questions had also been raised over whether Abbas and members of the Palestinian delegation would receive visas to attend the upcoming General Assembly in person.
The US State Department had previously been asked about the status of visa applications involving Abbas and the Palestinian delegation, as well as the legal basis for any visa restrictions.
State Department Deputy Spokeswoman Paloma Chacón, responding in an emailed statement, said the Trump administration regarded every visa decision as a national security decision, including decisions concerning participants in the UN General Assembly.
“While we take seriously our obligations as a host country to the UN, we will continue to protect Americans by upholding the highest standards of vetting and screening for all applicants,” Chacón said.
She added that delegations had been provided with guidance concerning visa applications ahead of the General Assembly.
According to Chacón, failure to satisfy US vetting requirements or comply with other guidance could result in a visa application being denied.
The announcement highlights the continuing disagreement between Washington and the Palestinian leadership over how the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should be addressed.
The US position, as outlined by the State Department, places emphasis on compliance with US legal requirements, security screening and negotiations, while objecting to Palestinian efforts at international institutions that Washington says seek to advance Palestinian statehood or accountability measures outside a negotiated process.
The Palestinian leadership has pursued international diplomatic avenues as part of its broader effort to secure recognition of Palestinian statehood and address issues related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The ICC and ICJ have also become significant forums in international proceedings concerning alleged violations connected to the conflict.
With the UN General Assembly approaching, the issue of visas for Palestinian officials is expected to remain relevant to discussions surrounding Palestinian participation in the annual UN session. The US, as host country, has obligations concerning access to the UN headquarters while also maintaining authority over entry into its territory under US immigration and national security laws.
The latest extension of the visa sanctions therefore places renewed focus on the balance between those responsibilities and Washington's broader foreign-policy and security considerations.
