Washington, 17 September (H.S.): Just days before the opening of the high-level week of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the United States has decided to extend visa restrictions on Palestinian officials. The US State Department said on Wednesday that visa restrictions on members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and officials of the Palestinian Authority (PA) would remain in place. The General Assembly’s 81st session opened on September 8, while the general debate is scheduled to begin on September 22.

According to Türkiye’s state-run Anadolu Agency, the US State Department told Congress that the PLO and PA had again failed to fulfill commitments and obligations undertaken under US law. The department cited several actions by the Palestinian side in international forums as the basis for its decision.

The United States specifically referred to efforts to take the Israeli-Palestinian dispute to international institutions, including through the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

According to the US State Department, efforts by the Palestinian side to secure unilateral international recognition of a Palestinian state are also viewed as attempts to circumvent the negotiating process.

The United States has also accused the PLO and PA of providing financial support to terrorists and promoting terrorism.

The decision comes as the new UN General Assembly session enters its high-level phase in New York next week. The US had also refused to approve or had revoked certain visas for PLO and PA officials ahead of the General Assembly last year.

However, under the UN Headquarters Agreement, the Palestinian mission in New York enjoys certain special privileges.

Last year, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was unable to attend the General Assembly in person and addressed the gathering via video link. Reports indicate that the United States has again denied Abbas a visa for this year’s General Assembly, preventing him from attending in person for a second consecutive year.

US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Paloma Chacón said the Trump administration considers every visa decision to be a matter of national security. She said that, as the host country of the United Nations, the United States takes its responsibilities seriously, but would not compromise on the screening of visa applicants or security standards.

According to Chacón, delegations planning to attend the General Assembly had been informed in advance about the requirements associated with visa applications. If an applicant fails to meet security-screening standards or other prescribed guidelines, the visa may be denied.

There was no immediate public response from the Palestinian Authority or the PLO to the US announcement. It also remained unclear what decisions had been taken on the visa applications of each member of President Mahmoud Abbas’s delegation expected to attend the upcoming United Nations General Assembly.

The US State Department’s decision comes at a time when diplomatic activity surrounding the Palestinian issue is expected to intensify at the United Nations. The General Assembly’s high-level general debate is scheduled for September 22–26 and September 28 at UN Headquarters in New York.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar