US Denies Entry to Palestinian Leader Abbas for UN General Assembly

The United States has refused to grant entry visas to Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and his delegation, preventing them from attending the upcoming UN General Assembly in New York for the second consecutive year. The decision, initially reported by Arab media and later confirmed by the State Department, continues a policy implemented last year when Abbas was also denied a visa.

The State Department cited the Palestinian leadership's actions on the international stage as a reason for the visa denial. Washington accuses the PA and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) of attempting to internationalize the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by appealing to the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice, and by promoting unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state. The US administration has also accused Palestinian bodies of supporting terrorism.

Following the US decision, the General Assembly, comprising 193 member states, is expected to vote on whether to allow Abbas to deliver a video address next week instead of attending in person. He participated in last year's assembly via video link after being denied a visa.

The US move is considered unusual given New York's status as the UN headquarters. While the 1947 UN Headquarters Agreement generally obligates the US to allow foreign delegates access, Washington asserts that exceptions exist for security, extremism, and foreign policy reasons. However, the State Department clarified that the existing exemption for the PLO observer mission staff at the UN will remain in effect. Palestinians hold non-member observer state status at the UN, meaning they do not have voting rights in the General Assembly.