US liberal Jewish group calls ban on Palestinian passport holders 'counterproductive'

The liberal Jewish advocacy group J Street has called US President Donald Trump's addition of Palestinian passport holders to his travel ban on Tuesday "damaging and counterproductive".

“At a time when the Trump administration claims that it is working to advance the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal, its decision to bar Palestinian travel to the US is both deeply damaging and counterproductive," the statement read.

"Rather than advancing stability, this policy further delegitimizes and weakens the Palestinian Authority at the very moment when US policy should be focused on strengthening its capacity to sideline Hamas, improve governance, and help stabilize and secure Gaza and the West Bank."