Marco Rubio denies and revokes visas of Palestinian officials ahead of UN General Assembly

The State Department announced Friday that it is refusing to issue visas to members of the Palestinian Authority ahead of the U.N. General Assembly in September, where France is expected to advocate for recognition of a Palestinian state.

"Secretary of State Marco Rubio is denying and revoking visas from members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian Authority (PA) ahead of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly," the State Department said in a statement.

he department added that the Trump administration has made clear it is in the national security interest to hold the PLO and PA accountable for "not complying with their commitments, and for undermining the prospects for peace."

"Before the PLO and PA can be considered partners for peace, they must consistently repudiate terrorism — including the October 7 massacre — and end incitement to terrorism in education, as required by U.S. law and as promised by the PLO," the department said.

"The PA must also end its attempts to bypass negotiations through international lawfare campaigns, including appeals to the ICC and ICJ, and efforts to secure the unilateral recognition of a conjectural Palestinian state. Both steps materially contributed to Hamas’s refusal to release its hostages, and to the breakdown of the Gaza ceasefire talk," it added.

Finally, the federal agency said that the Palestinian Authority Mission to the UN will receive exemptions under the UN Headquarters Agreement.

"The United States 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," it added.