U.S. Stops Issuing Various Visas to Palestinians
The American administration has taken a significant step in its foreign policy towards Palestine, imposing permanent visa restrictions on holders of Palestinian passports. According to a telegram sent by the State Department headquarters on August 18, these measures are more expansive than the previous suspension of visas for Palestinian officials.
Halah Zarar, the former State Department's Arabic language press secretary, has stated that this is a permanent refusal, equivalent to a complete denial of visas to Palestinians. The wider application of section 221-G of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act is at the heart of these restrictions.
The telegram, addressed to all American embassies and consulates, outlines "more radical measures" regarding the entry requirements for Palestinians with a Palestinian passport. The State Department has confirmed to a publication that it has ordered diplomats to observe these new restrictions.
The suspension applies to various types of visitor visas, including those for medical treatment, education, visits to friends or relatives, and business trips. However, it does not affect Palestinians with dual citizenship and those who have already received visas.
The restrictions apply to Palestinians who have only a Palestinian passport issued after the signing of the agreement between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) to establish the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) in the Gaza Strip and on the West Bank in the 1990s. The West Bank is controlled by the PNA, while the Gaza Strip is controlled by the Islamic movement Hamas.
The exact date when the US government issued these telegrammed instructions is unclear. The visa restrictions followed statements from several countries about their plans to recognize Palestine in the near future. It is also unclear what prompted the introduction of these visa restrictions, as the U.S. continues to support Israel in the conflict.
RIA Novosti has reported on the situation, but no specific details about the report are provided in the paragraph. The State Department has not issued visas to Palestinian officials to participate in the UN General Assembly taking place in New York in September.
It is worth noting that the Trump administration has suspended the issuance of nearly all types of visitor visas to holders of Palestinian passports. This decision has raised concerns and questions about the future of U.S.-Palestine relations and the potential impact on the peace process.
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