Washington: The US imposed sanctions Thursday on the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Palestinian Authority (PA), accusing both groups of failing to comply with their commitments and undermining peace prospects in the Middle East.
According to Anadolu Agency, the US government stated, "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 agency reported to Congress that both organizations violated the PLO Commitments Compliance Act of 1989 and the Middle East Peace Commitments Act (MEPCA) of 2002 through multiple actions.
The 1989 act requires PLO recognition of Israel's "right to exist" and "abstention from, and renunciation of, all acts of terrorism," while the 2002 MEPCA mandates sanctions if the PLO or PA fails to comply with commitments in the Oslo Accords -- interim agreements between Israel and the PLO. The violations reportedly include supporting actions at international organizations that "contradict" UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338, pursuing legal cases through the International Criminal Court (ICC) and International Court of Justice (ICJ) to "internationalize its conflict with Israel," and "continuing to support terrorism" through incitement and glorification of violence.
Resolution 242, adopted after the 1967 Six-Day War, calls for Israeli withdrawal from occupied territories and respect for sovereignty. Resolution 338 called for an end to the 1973 Yom Kippur War and demanded Israel desist from any acts violating Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
"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," the agency noted. These sanctions are being enforced amid ongoing conflicts, with Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of more than 60,200 Palestinians.
Furthermore, the ICC has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes, and Israel faces a genocide case at the ICJ.