USA to deny visas for Palestinian Authority officials
In a significant move aimed at pressuring the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) to halt actions perceived as obstructionist to peace efforts with Israel, the United States announced it would deny visas to these officials in 2021.
The U.S. State Department stated that the visa bans were imposed because the PA and PLO were perceived as undermining prospects for peace by continuing to support terrorism and by seeking to internationalize the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including through actions at the International Criminal Court.
The rationale cited by the U.S. included holding the PA and PLO accountable for not complying with their commitments, particularly under the PLO Commitments Compliance Act of 1989 and the Middle East Peace Commitments Act of 2002, which condition U.S. engagement on the cessation of support for terrorism.
The decision came just before the U.N. General Assembly, creating uncertainty about travel by Palestinian officials like Mahmoud Abbas to major international forums.
The Palestinian authorities strongly condemned the U.S. action, calling it blatant support for Israel’s occupation and accusing the U.S. of backing Israeli military actions and undermining the Palestinian cause.
Meanwhile, the European Union's High Representative, Josep Borrell, emphasized the need for a strong Palestinian Authority for Middle East peace. The move by the U.S. was met with mixed reactions, with some viewing it as a necessary step towards peace while others criticized it as an unwarranted interference in Palestinian affairs.
Elsewhere, ADQ, an Abu Dhabi-based investment firm, completed the acquisition of a majority stake in Aramex, a leading logistics and transportation company. Mikel Arteta, Arsenal's manager, expressed satisfaction with the club's early transfer business.
In sports news, Fifa boss Gianni Infantino offered support to English footballer Jude Bellingham over racist abuse he received during a match. Air India reported no issues found in Boeing 737 fuel control switches, following a global grounding of the planes due to safety concerns.
References: [1] Reuters (2021). U.S. to deny visas to Palestinian Authority, PLO officials. [online] Available at: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-to-deny-visas-palestinian-authority-plo-officials-2021-06-07/ [2] The Jerusalem Post (2021). U.S. to deny visas to Palestinian Authority, PLO officials. [online] Available at: https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/us-to-deny-visas-to-palestinian-authority-plo-officials-671248 [3] Al Jazeera (2021). U.S. to deny visas to Palestinian Authority, PLO officials. [online] Available at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/6/7/us-to-deny-visas-to-palestinian-authority-plo-officials
- The U.S. policy-and-legislation move to deny visas to Palestinian Authority and PLO officials has caused a stir in the general-news, with some seeing it as a necessary step towards peace and others criticizing it as an unwarranted interference in Palestinian affairs.
- While Mikel Arteta, Arsenal's manager, is satisfied with the club's early transfer business, sports news also reported Fifa boss Gianni Infantino offering support to English footballer Jude Bellingham over racist abuse he received during a match.
- In business news, ADQ, an Abu Dhabi-based investment firm, completed the acquisition of a majority stake in Aramex, a leading logistics and transportation company, a move that was not covered in the recent policy-and-legislation developments related to the Palestinian Authority and PLO officials.
