The visa restrictions, imposed under section 604(a)(1) of the Middle East Peace Commitments Act, follow a State Department determination that the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) have repeatedly failed to meet obligations set out in the PLO Commitments Compliance Act of 1989 and the Middle East Peace Commitments Act of 2002.
Washington’s statement said Palestinian officials have taken actions that “undermine prospects for peace,” citing their attempts to bring the Israeli‑Palestinian conflict before the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice, which the U.S. described as an effort to “internationalize” the dispute.
The department also accused PA and PLO leaders of seeking unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state and of continuing to provide stipends to individuals it classifies as terrorists, as well as glorifying terrorism in public statements and school textbooks.
Although the visa ban applies broadly to PLO members and PA officials, an existing waiver will remain for personnel attached to the PLO Observer Mission to the United Nations, ensuring that the mission itself can continue its work at the UN.
The move is intended, according to the State Department, to impose consequences for what it views as non‑compliance rather than to impede the UN’s functioning, and it underscores Washington’s stance that accountability for actions perceived as supporting terrorism is a U.S. national interest.
Abbas, who was scheduled to address the General Assembly on September 24, was not named in the official statement but is understood to be covered by the new restrictions, effectively barring him from traveling to New York for the summit.