Dozens Of US Senators Call For Revocation Of Palestinian Passport Restrictions

JAKARTA - Fourteen-one United States Senators sent a letter to Foreign Minister Marco Rubio, expressing their deep concern over the recent State Department's decision to limit visas to Palestinians and demanding the lifting of the Palestinian passport ban.

The letter states senators demanded an explanation of the State Department's decision last month suspending the issuance of temporary medical and humanitarian visas for civilians in Gaza requiring urgent medical treatment, including children with injuries and life-threatening conditions.

The MPs also expressed their disappointment over an unprecedented decision to refuse non-immigrant visas for Palestinian passport holders, urging the State Department to immediately continue issuing these visas, particularly humanitarian visas, in order to save lives, and to continue issuing non-immigrant visas for eligible Palestinians.

In their letter, senators stressed the need to double America's efforts to achieve fair and lasting peace in the region, stressing this kind of decision harm innocent civilians and increase their suffering in the current situation.

"As Minister of Foreign Affairs, we urge you to immediately reactivate the issuance of temporary medical and humanitarian visas to provide the much-needed civil aid to save lives, continue issuance of non-immigrant visas for eligible individuals with Palestinian passports, and refocus US efforts to achieve a lasting end to the conflict in Gaza that guarantees security, peace and prosperity for everyone in the region," the Senators said, quoted by Sierra Sun Times.

The senators who signed the letter were Democratic Party Leader Chuck Schumer, Alex Padilla, Cory Booker, Jeanne Shaheen, Angela Alsobrooks, Tammy Baldwin, Michael Bennet, Richard Blumenthal, Lisa Blunt