State Department Extends PLO/PA related Visa Sanctions

The State Department reported to Congress that the PLO and Palestinian Authority have again failed to meet their commitments under the PLO Commitments Compliance Act of 1989 and the Middle East Peace Commitments Act of 2002, citing continued efforts to internationalize the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the ICC and ICJ, pursuit of unilateral recognition outside negotiations, and continued stipend payments to individuals who committed acts of terrorism alongside glorification of terrorism in official statements and school curricula. As a result, the U.S. is extending visa-denial sanctions on PLO members and PA officials under Section 604(a)(1) of MEPCA, while maintaining the standing waiver for personnel notified to the PLO's UN Observer Mission, consistent with prior determinations.