The United States has suspended visa approvals for nearly everyone who holds a Palestinian passport, The New York Times reported on Sunday.
The restrictions go beyond those President Donald Trump’s administration had previously announced on visitors from Gaza.
They would prevent Palestinians from travelling to the United States for medical treatment, attending college, and business travel, the newspaper reported, citing unidentified officials.
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The State Department said two weeks ago that it was halting all visitor visas for individuals from Gaza while it conducts “a full and thorough” review, a move that has been condemned by pro-Palestine groups.
Earlier, the US denied and revoked visas of members from two key organisations in Palestine — Palestine Liberation Organisation and the Palestinian Authority, ahead of the United Nations General Assembly meeting in September.
The restrictions mean that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas would likely not be able to travel to New York to deliver an address to the annual gathering, as he typically does.
