The United States has revoked the visas of the family of the Palestine Liberation Organization ambassador in Washington, the envoy said on Sunday. The move is the latest development in the worsening relations between the Trump administration and Palestinian leadership.
Ambassador Husam Zomlot, head of the PLO General Delegation to the United States, said his wife and two young children had already left the country after being informed their visas would expire when the diplomatic office is closed next month. The visas were originally due to expire in 2020.
The Trump administration announced last Monday that it would close the PLO office in Washington.
The State Department did not respond to a request for comment.
Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the PLO's executive committee, criticized the Trump administration as "vindictive."
"As if the announcement that the U.S. would close our office in Washington, D.C., was not enough, this vindictive action by the Trump administration is spiteful," Ashrawi said in a statement. "The U.S. has taken its attempts to pressure and blackmail the Palestinians to a new level."
Zomlot said in an interview that two of his embassy employees met with State Department staff last week, at the department's request.
"The State Department informed our colleagues, as part of the discussion on the closure, that the visas of my wife and children are dependent on the PLO delegation and as such will not be valid after the closure of the office and that if they wanted to stay they would have to change their immigration status," Zomlot said.
"This goes against diplomatic norms. Children, spouses and family have nothing to do with political rows," he said.
Last month, the United States halted all funding to UNRWA, the U.N. agency that helps Palestinian refugees.
The Palestinian leadership has angered the White House by boycotting its peace efforts since President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital last December and moved the embassy there, reversing decades of U.S. policy.
