Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
In a sweeping policy shift, the United States has instructed its diplomats worldwide to halt the issuance of nearly all non-immigrant visas to Palestinian passport holders, including those living in the West Bank, Gaza, and abroad.
According to an internal State Department cable dated August 18 and signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. embassies and consulates have been directed to reject non-immigrant visa applications submitted by individuals using passports issued by the Palestinian Authority. The directive, which took immediate effect, applies to all eligible holders of Palestinian passports seeking short-term entry to the United States.
Non-immigrant visas encompass a wide range of categories, including those for students, academics, tourists, business travelers, and individuals seeking medical treatment. The new policy, first reported by The New York Times, marks one of the most comprehensive restrictions on Palestinian mobility imposed by the U.S. government in recent years.
The move is part of a broader series of measures taken by the Trump administration to limit Palestinian access to the United States amid escalating tensions in the Middle East and growing international momentum toward recognizing a Palestinian state.
On August 16, just two days before the issuance of the diplomatic cable, the State Department had already suspended all visitor visas for individuals from Gaza, citing the need for a policy review. On the following Friday, it announced the cancellation and rejection of visas for officials of both the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), including Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, ahead of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly.
The new directive also extends to diplomatic and official visas. It explicitly includes individuals traveling for diplomatic purposes who apply using a Palestinian passport, effectively barring official representatives of the Palestinian Authority from entering the United States under normal channels.
In a statement, a State Department spokesperson defended the decision, saying the administration was acting in accordance with U.S. law and national security priorities. “Each visa decision is a matter of national security,” the spokesperson said. “The Department is taking tangible steps to ensure that all visa applicants using Palestinian Authority passports are subject to the necessary screening protocols to verify their identity and eligibility under U.S. immigration law.”
The spokesperson added that the policy does not apply to Palestinians applying for immigrant visas, nor does it affect applicants who hold and use alternative passports when applying for non-immigrant visas.
While no formal explanation was offered regarding the timing of the decision, it coincides with growing international support for Palestinian statehood and comes as the war in Gaza continues to devastate civilian infrastructure and fuel regional instability.
Critics argue that the restrictions amount to collective punishment and further isolate the Palestinian people at a time when diplomatic engagement is more urgently needed. Human rights advocates warn that denying access to education, medical treatment, and diplomatic dialogue sends a deeply troubling message about the U.S. stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
With the United Nations General Assembly set to convene later this month, the visa ban could prevent Palestinian officials from participating in key diplomatic sessions, potentially undermining efforts to engage the international community on the future of the Palestinian cause.
As of now, no official comment has been made by the Palestinian Authority regarding the new visa restrictions.
