U. S. Government banned Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to travel to U.N.
The U.S. government says it will not allow Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to travel to New York next month for a UN gathering of world leaders, where several U.S. allies are set to recognize Palestine as a state.
A State Department official said Abbas and about 80 other Palestinians would be affected by the decision to deny and revoke visas from members of the umbrella Palestine Liberation Organization and the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority.
“Before the PLO and PA can be considered partners for peace, they must consistently repudiate terrorism — including the October 7 massacre — and end incitement to terrorism in education, as required by U.S. law and as promised by the PLO,” the U.S. statement said.
Abbas had planned to attend the annual high-level UN General Assembly, as well as a summit where France, the UK, Australia and Canada have pledged to formally recognize a Palestinian state.
Abbas’ office said it was astonished by the visa decision, saying it violated the UN “headquarters agreement.”
Under a 1947 UN agreement, the U.S. is generally required to allow access for foreign diplomats to the UN in New York. Washington says it can deny visas for security, extremism and foreign policy reasons.
Several European foreign ministers arriving at a EU meeting in Copenhagen on Saturday criticized the U.S decision.
