The United States has revoked the visas of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and 80 other officials, preventing them from attending key United Nations meetings in New York.1 The Palestinian Authority has urged the US to reverse the decision, calling it a violation of international law.2 The US State Department justified the move by stating it is in the country’s national security interest to hold the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Palestinian Authority (PA) accountable for not meeting their commitments to peace.
The Diplomatic Fallout
The US decision to revoke the visas of a high-level Palestinian delegation, including President Abbas, is a major diplomatic event. The move comes just weeks before the annual UN General Assembly meeting, which Abbas has attended for many years.5 It also affects a crucial international conference on creating a Palestinian state, co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia, that Abbas was scheduled to attend.
Palestinian presidential spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh condemned the decision, stating it “will only increase tension and escalation.” He is calling on other nations, particularly those co-hosting the upcoming conference, to pressure the US to reverse its stance. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has already protested the restrictions, arguing that the UN headquarters is a “sanctuary” that should not be subject to such limitations.
Justification and Context
The US State Department, under Secretary of State Marco Rubio, stated that the action was taken to hold the PLO and PA accountable for “not complying with their commitments” and for “undermining the prospects for peace.” The statement specifically mentioned the need for the groups to “consistently repudiate terrorism” and end “incitement to terrorism in education.”11 The US argues that the PA’s appeals to international bodies like the International Criminal Court (ICC) and International Court of Justice (ICJ) are attempts to bypass direct negotiations with Israel.
This move is the latest in a series of steps by the US to target Palestinian officials with visa restrictions. The decision mirrors a similar incident in 1988, when the US denied a visa to PLO leader Yasser Arafat, forcing the UN General Assembly to relocate to Geneva so he could speak.13 While Palestinian representatives permanently assigned to the UN mission will be granted exceptions, the absence of President Abbas is a significant blow to Palestinian diplomatic efforts at a time when the Israeli military is escalating its offensive in Gaza. The UN itself has stated that it will be seeking clarification from the State Department, underscoring the legal and diplomatic questions raised by the decision.
This video provides an overview of the US decision to revoke visas for Palestinian officials ahead of the UN General Assembly. Visas denied for Palestinian officials: US revokes visas ahead of un general assembly
