Trump Finds His Moral Compass, Excludes Palestinians From Travel
Axios dutifully reports President Trump's expanded travel ban, now including full restrictions on Syria and 'people with Palestinian Authority-issued travel documents,' alongside several African nations. The White House justified this, claiming 'widespread corruption' and 'fraudulent or unreliable civil documents' in restricted countries. (One wonders if the same vetting standards are applied to,
say, foreign oligarchs purchasing luxury properties or making substantial campaign donations.) The fact they specifically called out 'Palestinian Authority-issued travel documents' is a particularly convenient pivot. Given the documented and historical efforts by the US and other nations to marginalize Palestinian identity and statehood, this isn't about documents; it's about denying existence.
This isn't about 'security' in any real sense; it's about political narratives and the convenient othering of specific groups. When politicians like Trump target populations based on their national origin or the authority that issues their papers, it paves the way for further dehumanization. How many 'security risks' seem to magically materialize precisely when the geopolitical agenda demands it?
One might question why populations in places receiving billions in US aid and military support don't raise similar 'security' concerns, despite those nations' internal document challenges.