The State Department announced Friday that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is denying and revoking visas for Palestinian officials ahead of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly.
Members of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority, including PA President Mahmoud Abbas, will not be allowed to attend the assembly next month and will need to “repudiate terrorism” in order for their visas to be reinstated.
“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 read.
“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 U.S. law and as promised by the PLO,” it added.
Since 2012, Palestinian representatives have held U.N. nonmember status, which allows them to debate but not vote.
The statement outlines action items for PLO and PA members, such as ending their “international lawfare” campaigns — including appeals to the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice (World Court), and efforts toward a “conjectural Palestinian state.”
“Both steps materially contributed to Hamas’ refusal to release its hostages, and to the breakdown of the Gaza ceasefire talks,” the statement read.
Several countries, including the U.K., France, and Australia, have said they will call for a Palestinian state at the assembly. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott called the efforts “counterproductively pursuing the unilateral recognition of a hypothetical state” in a post to X.
“The United States remains open to re-engagement that is consistent with our 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,” the statement concluded.
Rubio is granting waivers to permanent staff of the PA Observer Mission under the U.N. Headquarters Agreement.
The U.N. General Assembly begins Sept. 8 in New York City. President Donald Trump will address the assembly on Sept. 23.
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
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