RAMALLAH, September 17, 2026 (WAFA) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates expressed the State of Palestine’s rejection of the decision announced by the US State Department to extend visa restrictions on officials of the Palestinian National Authority and members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). 

The Ministry views this as an unjustified measure that runs counter to efforts aimed at restoring trust, developing Palestinian-US relations, and creating the political climate necessary to implement the two-state solution and achieve peace and stability in the region.

In a statement issued today, Thursday, the Ministry affirmed that the PLO—the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people—and the Palestinian National Authority remain committed to peace, international legitimacy resolutions, the two-state solution based on the June 4, 1967 borders, and living in security and peace alongside the State of Israel. They also reaffirmed their rejection of violence and terrorism, as well as their adherence to international law and international legitimacy as the basis for addressing the conflict.

The Ministry emphasized that the State of Palestine rejects the claim that the Palestinian people's recourse to the United Nations, the International Court of Justice, and the International Criminal Court constitutes an act that undermines peace. It stressed that resorting to international institutions and international law is a legitimate right of the State of Palestine and a peaceful, legal means to protect the Palestinian people and their rights. This cannot be equated with the policies of occupation, settlement expansion, annexation, displacement, and settler violence—actions that pose the real threat to the two-state solution and prospects for peace.

The Ministry further noted that the State of Palestine has consistently called for a halt to unilateral actions. The Ministry emphasized that international recognition of the State of Palestine is not a substitute for negotiations; rather, it is an acknowledgment of the Palestinian people's inalienable right to self-determination and the realization of their independent state, as well as support for achieving a just peace based on the two-state solution and international legitimacy.

The Ministry expressed surprise that the US statement overlooked the substantive reforms achieved by the State of Palestine. These include unifying the social protection system based on socio-economic need and implementing the national reform program across financial, administrative, educational, and legal sectors, in accordance with clear, transparent, and verifiable mechanisms. It calls upon the US administration to evaluate these reforms based on facts and professional reports, rather than outdated political claims that do not reflect the measures actually taken by the Palestinian government.

It stressed that punitive measures and the imposition of restrictions on Palestinian officials do not foster peace or combat violence; instead, they weaken the Palestinian partner committed to a political solution and embolden forces seeking to undermine the two-state solution and impose a reality of occupation, settlement expansion, and annexation by force.

The State of Palestine affirmed that any restrictions preventing the full participation of its delegation in United Nations meetings constitute an infringement upon its rights and the role of the international organization, and violate the host country's obligations under the UN Headquarters Agreement. The Ministry further stated that limiting exceptions to only certain members of the Permanent Observer Mission is insufficient; access must be guaranteed for all members of the official Palestinian delegation accredited to participate in UN meetings.

The Ministry called upon the US administration to reconsider this decision, halt the policy of sanctions and restrictions, and engage in a direct, serious Palestinian-US dialogue to address any points of contention. It also urged the resumption of bilateral relations based on mutual respect and support for the implementation of the New York Declaration, relevant UN resolutions, and the peace plan—steps that would lead to ending the occupation and realizing an independent, sovereign State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The State of Palestine affirmed that it will continue to fulfill its national and international obligations, pursue its reform program, and utilize peaceful political, diplomatic, and legal means to defend its people's rights, stressing that it will not relinquish their right to self-determination, freedom, and stability.

K.T