The US says it is going to impose sanctions on the Palestinians’ self-governance organisation as well as the body that represents it on the international stage.

The sanctions affect both the Palestinian Authority (PA) which was established by the Oslo peace accords, and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) which was recognised after the same process as the official representative of the Palestinian people in return for it recognising Israel and renouncing violence.

The State Department said it would deny visas to PLO members and PA officials.

The timing and language of the statement suggest it is the Trump administration’s response to this week’s French-Saudi led conference at the United Nations held to rally support for a future two state solution.

The meeting came as France, the UK and Canada committed to recognising an independent, demilitarised Palestinian state later this year, in some cases subject to certain conditions.

The US castigated these moves, having privately warned of diplomatic consequences if those attending the UN conference made “anti-Israel” declarations.

In its sanctions announcement, the State Department accused the PA and PLO of taking actions to “internationalise its conflict with Israel such as through the International Criminal Court (ICC) and International Court of Justice (ICJ)”.

It also referred to a series of long-standing complaints by the US and Israel that the PLO and PA had continued “to support terrorism including incitement and glorification of violence (especially in textbooks), and providing payments and benefits in support of terrorism to Palestinian terrorists and their families”.

The Trump administration earlier this year lifted sanctions on violent Israeli settlers who have killed Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

One leading Palestinian politician described the sanctions move as “revenge” by the US for the commitments to recognise Palestinian statehood by a growing number of countries.

The PA appeared to echo that sentiment in a statement released on Thursday.

“These campaigns have been escalating in response to the significant and successive achievements of Palestinian diplomacy,” it said.

“Particularly the recent recognitions of the State of Palestine by key countries, the successful United Nations conference in New York, and the historic declaration issued therein.”

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