US Denies Visas to Mahmoud Abbas and Palestinian Delegation for UN General Assembly
The United States has denied entry visas to Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian delegation for the UN General Assembly, marking the second consecutive year Washington has blocked their physical attendance.
US Denies Visas to Palestinian Delegation Ahead of UN General Assembly
The United States has denied entry visas to Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian delegation for the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in New York. According to reports, this marks the second consecutive year that Washington has prevented the Palestinian Authority leadership from attending the annual gathering in person.
Simultaneously, the US State Department announced the extension of visa sanctions targeting officials of the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization. The State Department justified the decision by stating that the Palestinian leadership is attempting to internationalize the conflict through bodies such as the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice.
Upcoming UN Vote on Recorded Address
The 193-member UN General Assembly is scheduled to vote on whether Mahmoud Abbas will be permitted to deliver a prerecorded video address during next week's session. A similar arrangement was implemented last September, when Abbas also addressed the assembly via video link.
"The Palestinian Authority and the PLO are working to internationalize the conflict and promote unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state while supporting terrorists," the US State Department stated in its official announcement.
While the 1947 UN Headquarters Agreement generally obligates the United States to grant foreign diplomats access to UN headquarters in New York, Washington maintains that visas can be withheld on grounds of national security, extremism, and foreign policy interests.
