The United States has announced sanctions targeting both the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), in a move that appears linked to recent international efforts backing a Palestinian state.
The State Department stated it will begin denying visas to members of the PA and the PLO.
These two bodies, established under the Oslo Accords, have long been central to Palestinian self-governance and international representation.
The decision comes days after a UN conference, led by France and Saudi Arabia, drew new commitments from countries such as the UK, France, and Canada to recognise a demilitarised Palestinian state later this year, depending on conditions.
Washington criticized the conference and warned participating states against what it called “anti-Israel” positions.
In announcing the sanctions, US officials said the PA and PLO had worked to raise the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in global forums like the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
They also accused the two groups of encouraging violence, particularly through educational materials and financial support to the families of those jailed by Israel.
The US recently lifted restrictions on Israeli settlers known to have carried out attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank, deepening perceptions of double standards.
Palestinian officials responded by linking the US move to recent diplomatic gains, including growing recognition of Palestinian statehood and the success of the recent UN meeting.
Israel welcomed the sanctions and praised US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Trump.
Israeli leaders criticized countries that recognised Palestine, claiming they overlooked what they describe as ties between Palestinian leaders and violence.
Palestinian officials have long said that payments to prisoners’ families are humanitarian, especially given that many detainees are held without trial under Israeli military law.
France reportedly received assurances from the PA about reforming this policy during statehood discussions.
It remains unclear if the new travel restrictions will affect staff at the Palestinian mission to the UN, particularly those holding US citizenship.