US State Department denies visas to Palestinian representatives ahead of upcoming UN General Assembly

The US State Department has denied visas to Palestinian representatives who planned to attend the upcoming session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York next month.

According to Report, the information was published on the State Department"s official website.

The decision was made by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The visa refusal applies to members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as well as representatives of the Palestinian Authority.

"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 statement reads.

It further reads that "before the PLO and PA can be considered partners for peace, they must consistently repudiate terrorism - including the October 7 massacre - and end incitement to terrorism in education, as required by US law and as promised by the PLO."

"The PA must also end its attempts to bypass negotiations through international lawfare campaigns, including appeals to the ICC and ICJ, and efforts to secure the unilateral recognition of a conjectural Palestinian state.  Both steps materially contributed to Hamas"s refusal to release its hostages, and to the breakdown of the Gaza ceasefire talks," the statement noted.

This is while PA Mission to the UN will receive waivers per the UN Headquarters Agreement. 

The statement says that the United States remains open to re-engagement that is consistent with US laws, "should the PA/PLO meet their obligations and demonstrably take concrete steps to return to a constructive path of compromise and peaceful coexistence with the State of Israel."