WASHINGTON: The United States has denied visas to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and members of his delegation, preventing them from attending next week’s United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The State Department said the move was based on what it described as the Palestinian leadership’s failure to meet U.S. commitments and its actions involving Israel and international institutions.
The restrictions also apply to officials from the Palestinian Authority and members of the Palestine Liberation Organization, according to the State Department.
The State Department said the decision was linked to what it described as Palestinian efforts to take the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to international institutions, including the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice.
Washington also cited efforts to seek recognition of a Palestinian state outside direct negotiations with Israel. It also accused Palestinian institutions of glorifying terrorism and supporting payments to people convicted of attacks on Israelis.
The State Department said the measures were intended to hold the PLO and PA accountable for what it called actions that undermine prospects for peace.
The visa denial means Abbas will be unable to attend the General Assembly in person for a second consecutive year.
Last year, Abbas addressed the gathering by video after the United States denied visas to members of the Palestinian delegation. The United Nations is considering whether he could again address the assembly remotely.
The annual U.N. gathering is expected to focus heavily on the war in Gaza and the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The U.S. decision comes as Palestinian statehood remains a major issue at the United Nations.
A number of countries have recognized a Palestinian state, while Washington has opposed efforts it says bypass direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.
The decision also comes amid continued violence in the West Bank following the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which triggered the war in Gaza.
The United States has said it opposes annexation of Palestinian territory while continuing to support Israel.
The Palestinian Authority holds observer status at the United Nations and does not have voting rights in the General Assembly.
