Trump Hits Palestinian Authority with Tough Sanctions, Bans Officials from UN Over Illegal Statehood Push

The Trump administration is standing firm once again, cracking down on the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) for their blatant disregard of American law and Israel’s sovereignty. This week, the White House announced new sanctions targeting Palestinian officials who continue to sabotage peace efforts by pushing for statehood outside of any real agreement with Israel.

For decades, U.S. policy—backed by laws like the Middle East Peace Commitments Act—has made it clear: Palestinians must negotiate directly with Israel, not run to international organizations trying to isolate the Jewish state. But the PA and PLO have repeatedly thumbed their noses at these rules, taking their fight to global courts like the ICC and the UN to undermine Israel’s legitimacy.

Now, as countries like France, the UK, and Canada prepare to recognize a Palestinian state at the upcoming UN General Assembly, the Trump administration is slapping down the Palestinian leadership hard. President Trump has rightly called this move a “reward for terror” and warned Canada that their trade talks could suffer if they follow through.

In a blunt statement, the State Department made it crystal clear why sanctions are necessary:

“The State Department has reported to Congress that the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Palestinian Authority (PA) are not in compliance with their commitments under the PLO Commitments Compliance Act of 1989 (PLOCCA) and the Middle East Peace Commitments Act of 2002 (MEPCA), including by initiating and supporting actions at international organizations that undermine and contradict prior commitments in support of Security Council Resolution 242 and 338, taking actions to internationalize its conflict with Israel such as through the International Criminal Court (ICC) and International Court of Justice (ICJ), continuing to support terrorism including incitement and glorification of violence (especially in textbooks), and providing payments and benefits in support of terrorism to Palestinian terrorists and their families. The United States is imposing sanctions that deny visas to PLO members and PA officials in accordance with section 604(a)(1) of the MEPCA.  It is in our national security interests to impose consequences and hold the PLO and PA accountable for not complying with their commitments and undermining the prospects for peace.”

This means Palestinian leaders won’t be showing up in New York this fall, unable to hijack international forums to delegitimize Israel.

This is a continuation of the Trump administration’s no-nonsense approach to peace in the Middle East. Back in 2018, Trump shut down the PLO’s Washington office after their stunt taking Israel to the ICC in The Hague.

The message from Washington couldn’t be clearer: The Palestinians will not be rewarded for lawlessness or terror, and the U.S. will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Israel against those who seek its destruction.