US tells diplomats to refuse most visas for Palestinian passport holders

By Jennifer Hansler, CNN

(CNN) — The US State Department has instructed its diplomats to refuse most visas for Palestinian passport holders, whether they live in the West Bank, Gaza, or overseas, according to a cable seen by CNN.

The internal message, dated August 18 and signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, told all embassies and consulates to refuse nonimmigrant visas to “all otherwise eligible Palestinian Authority passport holders” who are using that passport to apply for a visa. The posts were instructed to do so “effective immediately.”

Nonimmigrant visas include a wide variety of visas, including those for students, professors, tourists, businesspeople and those seeking medical treatment.

The sweeping refusal policy, first reported by the New York Times, is among a slew of actions taken by the Trump administration to block Palestinians from coming to the United States.

On August 16, the State Department said that “all visitor visas for individuals from Gaza” were suspended pending a review. On Friday, the agency announced it was revoking and denying visas for members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Palestinian Authority (PA), including PA President Mahmoud Abbas, ahead of the United Nations General Assembly.

The restrictions come as a number of countries prepare to recognize a Palestinian state and the war in Gaza continues to rage.

In the diplomatic cable, the State Department said it was taking the action “to ensure that such applications have undergone necessary vetting and screening protocols to ensure the applicant’s identity and eligibility for a visa under U.S. law.”

“The Trump administration is taking concrete steps in compliance with U.S. law and our national security in regards to announced visa restrictions and revocations for PA passport holders,” a State Department spokesperson said. “Every visa decision is a national security decision, and the State Department is vetting and adjudicating visa decisions for PA passport holders accordingly.”

According to the cable, the refusal policy does not apply to Palestinians applying for immigrant visas or those applying for nonimmigrant visas using a different passport.

“This guidance does include visa applicants for diplomatic or official type visas and for individuals engaging in diplomatic and official travel purposes applying with Palestinian Authority passports,” it said. “While the Department has determined that the Palestinian Authority (PA) is a competent authority for passport issuing purposes … the United States does NOT recognize the PA as a ‘foreign government.’”

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