The Palestinian Authority and Palestine Liberation Organization have long had a “pay-to-slay” policy of providing money to imprisoned terrorists and their families
The Trump administration on Friday revoked visas for Palestinian officials seeking to attend the U.N. General Assembly in New York City next month, denying them entry into the United States as punishment for inciting terrorism against Israel and pursuing statehood outside of the established peace process.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio “is denying and revoking visas from members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian National Authority (PA) ahead of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly,” a State Department spokesman confirmed to the Washington Free Beacon. The Trump administration’s decision marks the first time the U.S. government has denied the Palestinian government permission to attend the U.N. gathering.
“The Trump Administration has been clear: it is in our national security interests to hold the PLO and PA accountable for not complying with their commitments, and for undermining the prospects for peace,” the State Department spokesman told the Free Beacon.
The decision is meant to derail the Palestinian officials’ unilateral bid to seek statehood when the U.N. General Assembly convenes for a session expected to revolve around the issue. France and Saudi Arabia hosted a two-state solution summit last month in hopes of building momentum for the recognition of a Palestinian state among U.N. member nations.
French president Emmanuel Macron announced last month he “will recognize the State of Palestine” as part of his country’s “commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.”
The U.S. government will only consider the PA and PLO “partners for peace” if they “consistently repudiate terrorism—including the October 7 massacre—and end incitement to terrorism in education, as required by law and as promised by the PLO,” the State Department spokesman said in a statement.
One of the more noteworthy forms of both organizations’ support for terrorism is known as “pay-to-slay,” a program in which the PA and PLO provide millions of dollars to imprisoned terrorists and their families. While PA president Mahmoud Abbas announced the end of the policy earlier this year, he subsequently said, “Even if we have [only] one penny left, it is for the prisoners and Martyrs.” There is no evidence to suggest the PA ceased its payments to terrorists after Abbas’s decree.
The PA must also end its pursuit of legal charges against Israel at the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice, which the Trump administration described as “attempts to bypass negotiations.”
The State Department spokesman cited the PA’s “efforts to secure the unilateral recognition of a conjectural Palestinian state” as another reason for the punitive measures. “Both steps materially contributed to Hamas’s refusal to release its hostages, and to the breakdown of the Gaza ceasefire talks,” he said.
Preexisting agreements between the United States and United Nations mean the PA’s mission to the international organization will still receive waivers, but the State Department will not permit Abbas and other senior officials to enter the country.
The Trump administration said it “remains open to re-engagement that is consistent with our laws, should the PA/PLO meet their obligations and demonstrably take concrete steps to return to a constructive path of compromise and peaceful coexistence with the State of Israel.”
The decision to revoke the visas came after the State Department imposed sanctions on Palestinian officials in the West Bank last month over those leaders’ support for terrorism, “including incitement and glorification of violence.”
A senior State Department official told the Free Beacon ahead of the July two-state summit the “U.S. would absolutely consider blocking” the visas should Palestinian officials “try to even decide to visit the United States.”
“The heads of the PA have openly praised the horrific attack that took place on Oct. 7. They celebrated terrorism and the killing of hundreds of innocent people,” the official said at the time.
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