The United States announced that it will deny visas to officials of the Palestinian Authority, accusing the governing body of parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank of attempts to “internationalize” the conflict, AFP reported.

The State Department stated that the Palestinian Authority “is taking steps to internationalize the conflict with Israel through the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague,” also accusing it of “continued support for terrorism.”

The statement did not specify particular individuals who would be denied visas, only clarifying that the measure will affect “members” of the Palestine Liberation Organization and “officials” of the Palestinian Authority.

These measures against the Palestinian Authority, whose leader Mahmoud Abbas has long been recognized as a key partner in efforts to resolve the conflict, come amid a growing number of countries considering recognition of a Palestinian state.

Canada and France are among the latest countries to announce their intention to grant recognition during the UN General Assembly meeting in September in New York.

The US visa denial could hinder the attendance of Palestinian leaders at this meeting.

The Palestinian Authority is a civil governing body in areas of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where about three million Palestinians live, along with nearly half a million Israelis residing in settlements considered illegal under international law.

Hamas governs the separate Gaza Strip, which since October 2023 has been engulfed in a devastating Israeli military operation following a surprise attack on Israel by the militant group on October 7 of the same year.

The United States is also increasing pressure on the International Criminal Court, which issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. | BGNES