US Bars PA, PLO Officials With New Sanctions

The United States has imposed visa sanctions that bar officials from the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) from entering the US, citing violation of peace agreements and ongoing support for terrorism, including incitement, glorification of violence in educational materials, and financial payments to those convicted of violence. The US also accused the PA and PLO of escalating the conflict by pursuing cases against Israel in international courts. These sanctions are enacted under the Middle East Peace Commitments Act of 2002 and the PLO Commitments Compliance Act of 1989. The move comes after France, the UK, and Canada pledged to recognize Palestinian statehood, a step the US criticized as undermining peace efforts. Israeli officials welcomed the US sanctions, while Palestinian officials denounced them as punitive and politically motivated. The decision deepens divisions among Western powers and complicates diplomatic efforts amid ongoing conflict in Gaza and the West Bank.