Return to PEACE Act

HR 5606, the Return to PEACE Act, codifies existing visa sanctions that deny entry to members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Palestinian Authority (PA) officials. These sanctions, previously in effect under the Middle East Peace Facilitation Act, remain active unless the Secretary of State waives them for specific individuals after certifying that the PLO and PA are not undermining UN resolutions, internationalizing the conflict, supporting terrorism, or funding terrorists. Waivers, limited to 180-day renewable periods, require congressional notification and must confirm the four specific conditions outlined in the bill. The sanctions will expire seven years after the bill’s enactment.