US State Department imposes sanctions on Palestinian Authority, PLO over incitement to violence and ‘undermining prospects for peace’

The United States State Department announced on Thursday that it has decided to impose sanctions on members of the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). 

The State Department said it reported to Congress that the PLO and Palestinian Authority (PA) are not meeting their obligations under the PLO Commitments Compliance Act of 1989 (PLOCCA) and the Middle East Peace Commitments Act of 2002 (MEPCA). 

Sanctioning Officials of the Palestinian Authority and Members of the Palestine Liberation Organizationhttps://t.co/CB4lf1U1M3

— U.S. State Dept - Near Eastern Affairs (@StateDept_NEA) July 31, 2025

The State Department press release notes that the organizations have violated the obligations through a series of actions, including “initiating and supporting actions at international organizations that undermine and contradict prior commitments in support of Security Council Resolution 242 and 338,” as well as attempts to “internationalize its conflict with Israel such as through the International Criminal Court (ICC) and International Court of Justice (ICJ).” 

The State Department cited the PA’s and PLO’s continued support for terrorism, in particular, noting the “incitement and glorification of violence (especially in textbooks),” and the PA’s continued “payments and benefits in support of terrorism to Palestinian terrorists and their families.” 

The Israeli government has repeatedly complained about the incitement to violence against Jews in the PA's official curriculum, which is often developed in collaboration with the United Nations. 

The European Parliament had threatened several times to freeze funding for the PA over antisemitic content in textbooks before finally taking action this past May. Even the U.S. Congress has taken significant steps to address the incitement against Jews found in the Palestinian curriculum.

“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,” the State Department wrote in its press release. 

In contrast to targeted sanctions on individuals, the State Department announced a broader policy of sanctions against PLO and Palestinian Authority institutions, including a visa ban on members of these organizations for actions deemed to undermine the prospects for peace between Israel and the Palestinian. This is a comprehensive punitive measure, aimed at exerting pressure on the PA leadership in response to its activities against Israel in the international arena, particularly at The Hague. The move appears to represent the "stick" in a broader carrot-and-stick strategy aimed at aligning the Palestinians with Washington’s position.

The State Department's declaration is aligns with U.S. President Donald Trump’s growing push to end the war in Gaza and advance a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians – one that would enable the region to shift its focus toward economic growth and development.