Country had already decided not to allow the entry of Palestinian leaders who would participate in the UN Assembly
The US State Department suspended the approval of almost all types of visitor visas for Palestinian passport patients. According to the newspaper, the measure was communicated to all American embassies and consulates on August 18, expanding restrictions that previously applied only to those who lived in the Gaza Strip.
Suspension impacts various types of visas, including those intended for medical treatments, university study, family visits and business trips. The statement sent by the State Department does not specify the expected duration for restrictions, indicating that it will be applied “at least temporarily ”.
The document with the new guidelines was sent by the State Department headquarters on August 18. The new measure affects all Palestinians who need to travel to the United States, regardless of their current location or status.
In a statement quoted by New York Timesthe State Department justified the decision citing “concrete measures in accordance with the United States Law ” and with “National Security ”.
The suspension occurs while other countries plan to recognize the state of Palestine, an initiative that Israel – heal from the United States – condemns.
On Friday (29.ago), the State Department the revocation of visas of members of the PLO (Palestinian Liberation Organization) and the AP (Palestinian Authority) before the next UN General Assembly (United Nations), scheduled for late September.
The United States did not say which authorities were aimed. It is not known, for example, if the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, is among those who had the visa revoked.
By August 16, the State Department had already interrupted the approval of visas specifically to the approximately 2 million Palestinians resident in the Gaza Strip.
