Palestinians Not Welcomed in US

US officials have further restricted visitor visas for Palestinians, by denying them to almost all applicants who use a Palestinian passport, media reports say. 

The development comes days after 80 Palestinian officials (including Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas) were denied visas ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. 

Earlier in August, visitor visas were paused for people hoping to travel from the Palestinian territory of Gaza. This newly-reported decree would affect a wider group – including people living in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. 

The Department of State did not explicitly confirm the move but said they were "taking concrete steps in compliance with US law and our national security". The decision was issued in a diplomatic cable dated August 18, the New York Times and CNN reported. 

US consular officers were told to refuse non-immigrant visas to "all otherwise eligible Palestinian Authority passport holders", the communication was quoted as saying. That would apply to Palestinians hoping to come to the US for a range of purposes, including for business, study or medical treatment. 

The move meant that officials would be required to perform a further review of each applicant, which amounted to a blanket ban on issuing visas to Palestinians, the New York Times added in its report. 

Palestinians who are able to make visa applications using other passports were said to be unaffected. 

It is not clear what prompted the reported move, though the Trump administration have been steadfast in their support for Israel's military campaign in Gaza.

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