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U.S. Imposes Major Sanctions on PLO and Palestinian Authority

The US has imposed harsh sanctions on the PLO and the PA, citing violations of American laws and peace commitments. According to an official White House statement, the State Department has informed Congress that the PLO and PA are not in compliance with the 1989 PLO Commitments Compliance Act (PLOCCA) and the 2002 Middle East Peace Commitments Act (MEPCA). Violations include supporting international legal actions against Israel at the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ), undermining U.N. Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338, incitement to violence in educational materials, and financial rewards to terrorists and their families. As a result, the U.S. is enforcing visa bans on members of the PLO and senior PA officials under Section 604(a)(1) of MEPCA. The administration emphasized that it is in America’s national security interest to hold the PLO and PA accountable for their actions and continued erosion of peace prospects. The move drew sharp commentary from Israeli commentators, with some calling on Jerusalem to follow Washington’s lead in dismantling what they describe as a "hostile army operating within Israel."