Two Palestinian priests denied US visas ahead of Gaza events

The United States has denied visas to two Palestinian Christian priests who planned to address American audiences on Israeli attacks in Gaza and settler violence in the occupied West Bank, Middle East Eye reported.

Father Issa Thaljieh, a priest at Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity, was scheduled to speak at a gathering of Christian leaders near the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on Monday, November 16. The event aims to urge Congress to hold Israeli forces and settlers accountable for attacks on Palestinians and demand an end to US arms transfers to Israel.

Organisers said Thaljieh’s visa application was rejected on security grounds. Laila Mokhiber, a volunteer with Orthodox Christians for Palestine (OCP), criticised the decision, saying it would prevent a priest from Bethlehem from sharing the experiences of Palestinian communities with American audiences.

A US State Department spokesperson told Middle East Eye that visa decisions involved national security considerations. The spokesperson said applicants must demonstrate that they meet the requirements of US immigration law.

Thaljieh’s sister, Honey, whose visa was approved, is expected to attend the Washington gathering in his place.

Munther Isaac, head of Bethlehem’s Christmas Lutheran Church, was also denied a US visa last week. He had planned to attend the Church at the Crossroads convention in Atlanta, Georgia, to discuss Christian Zionism and its impact on Palestinians with American evangelicals.

The convention, organised by the Bethlehem Institute for Peace and Justice, attracted more than 500 participants. Isaac had previously visited the United States, including in September 2025.

The Washington programme will include a reading of names from the Gaza Children’s Shroud, a 120-yard cloth bearing the names of more than 20,000 children killed in the Palestinian territory.

According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 74,653 Palestinians have been killed and 176,007 injured in Israeli attacks since October 7, 2023.

The gathering will also highlight violence in the occupied West Bank. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has documented at least 1,216 Palestinian deaths and 13,300 injuries in attacks involving Israeli forces and settlers since October 7, 2023.

The visa refusals follow Washington’s decision in September to deny entry to a Palestinian delegation, including Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The State Department justified that decision by accusing Palestinian officials of failing to honour commitments under previous agreements. It cited legal proceedings against Israel at international courts and payments to families of prisoners convicted of attacks against Israelis as reasons for the restrictions.

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