US Blocks Abbas, PA Officials from UN General Assembly Amid Diplomatic Row
US Blocks Abbas, PA Officials from UN General Assembly Amid Diplomatic Row
The United States has sparked a significant diplomatic controversy by refusing to issue visas to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and dozens of other PA officials, effectively preventing their attendance at the upcoming UN General Assembly in late September in New York.
This decision, announced by the US State Department on Friday, has drawn strong protests from the PA and several European nations. Abbas was also slated to participate in a crucial summit at UN headquarters, co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia, where Britain, France, Australia, and Canada are reportedly planning to formally recognize a Palestinian state.
Critics argue that the US action violates the 1947 UN Headquarters Agreement, an international treaty binding on the US, which prohibits restrictions on access for representatives of UN member states and invited officials to the UN headquarters district. While the PA holds non-member observer status as ‘the State of Palestine,’ the agreement also covers individuals invited by the UN.
Citing national security interests, the State Department stated its decision aims to hold the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority accountable for not complying with commitments and for undermining peace prospects. This justification references a 2014 congressional amendment allowing visa denials for those posing a threat to US national security, previously invoked in 2014 against Iran’s UN ambassador nominee.
The US has pointed to the PA’s alleged failure to consistently repudiate terrorism, including the October 7, 2023, attacks, and its past financial stipends to Palestinian prisoners and families of assailants. While Abbas condemned the October 7 massacres in June and reformed payment structures in February, the US maintains these actions are insufficient.
The State Department also criticized the PA’s ‘international lawfare campaigns’ and efforts to secure unilateral state recognition, arguing these contribute to Hamas’s refusal to release hostages and the breakdown of Gaza ceasefire talks. The legality of the 2014 amendment in light of the Headquarters Agreement remains untested in US courts.
A potential resolution, similar to a 1988 precedent involving Yasser Arafat, could see the UN move parts of the General Assembly proceedings to Geneva to allow the Palestinian delegation’s participation.
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