Full Breakdown
U.S. Extends Visa Ban on Palestinian Officials Ahead of UN General Assembly
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On September 17, 2026, the U.S. Department of State announced that it will extend visa sanctions that deny entry to members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and officials of the Palestinian Authority (PA). The measure blocks Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas from traveling to New York for the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, which begins next week. The State Department said the extension is a response to “their failure to reform” and to actions that “internationalize the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” including seeking cases before the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice.
Background & Context
The ban marks the second consecutive year that the United States has barred Abbas and other Palestinian officials from attending the UN plenary. The policy originated under the Trump administration, which in August 2025 halted most visitor visas for Palestinian-passport holders and cited the groups’ alleged support for terrorism and refusal to repudiate the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack. The State Department has repeatedly demanded that the PA and PLO “consistently repudiate terrorism” and cease “incitement to terrorism in education.”
Official Statements & Responses
The PA mission to the UN will retain a waiver under the UN Headquarters Agreement, allowing its staff to continue working in New York despite individual officials being barred. Deputy Spokeswoman Paloma Chacón emphasized the security rationale:
“While we take seriously our obligations as a host country to the UN, we will continue to protect Americans by upholding the highest standards of vetting and screening for all applicants,” — Chacón
Criticism & Opposition
Palestinian officials and UN human-rights experts have condemned the bans, arguing they violate the United States’ obligation to permit individuals invited by the UN to travel to its headquarters. Critics note the asymmetry of the policy, pointing out that no Israeli officials face comparable restrictions even after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged war crimes in Gaza. The opposition contends that singling out Palestinian representatives undermines Washington’s stated commitment to a negotiated two-state solution.