Travellers to Palestine: Nativity church cleric barred from US trip, second pastor denied too

Father Issa Thaljieh, the Palestinian parish priest at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, has been refused a US visa that would have let him address an interdenominational gathering of clergy in Washington, DC on Monday. A second well-known Bethlehem church leader, Munther Isaac, has also been turned down for a US visa in recent weeks.

Key facts

• Who: Father Issa Thaljieh, parish priest at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem
• What: US visa refused; he had been due to speak alongside American clergy
• Reason given: An event organiser said the refusal cited "security reasons"
• Replacement: His sister, Honey Thaljieh, received a US visa and will speak on his behalf
• Second case: Pastor Munther Isaac was denied a US visa for a convention in Atlanta, Georgia last week
• Official practice: The US State Department does not typically explain visa refusals and is not obliged to

What happened to Father Issa Thaljieh?

Father Issa Thaljieh had been due to speak at a gathering of Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant leaders at the United Methodist Building near the US Capitol on Monday. The clergy plan to call on Congress to hold both settlers and the Israeli military accountable and to curb US weapons transfers to Israel.

Laila Mokhiber, a volunteer with Orthodox Christians for Palestine (OCP), one of the organisers, said the refusal cited "security reasons", describing a parish priest from Bethlehem as being treated as a threat. OCP has asked the US State Department for comment.

Honey Thaljieh, Father Issa's sister, is now set to speak in his place after her own US visa was approved. The programme also includes Reverend Mitri Raheb, the Palestinian Lutheran pastor and founder of Dar al-Kalima University, and Mother Agapia, a Greek Orthodox nun.

Why was Munther Isaac refused?

Munther Isaac, who leads the Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, was denied a US visa for the Church at the Crossroads convention in Atlanta, Georgia, which took place last week. The event drew more than 500 people this year.

Isaac has travelled to the United States several times before, including in September 2025. His organisation, the Bethlehem Institute for Peace and Justice (BIPJ), a Palestinian Christian-led ministry affiliated with Bethlehem Bible College, said the convention is meant to bring American evangelicals and Palestinian Christians together.

The US State Department does not normally publish reasons for visa refusals and is under no obligation to do so.

What this means for travellers

For Palestinian travellers invited to speak or attend events in the United States, these cases show that a refusal can come without any published explanation. They also show that having visited the US before does not guarantee a new visa is granted, so applicants should allow time for the outcome before committing to travel.

What happens next?

Monday's Washington gathering is set to go ahead with Honey Thaljieh speaking instead of her brother. The programme also includes a reading of names from the Gaza Children's Shroud, described by organisers as a 120-yard cloth bearing the handwritten names of more than 20,000 children killed in Israel's military assault on Gaza. The shroud is on display at several venues in the greater capital region, including the Islamic Center of Maryland on 15 November.