United Nations prohibits Palestinian leaders from entry as countries offer support for statehood recognition
The United Nations (U.N.) is set to discuss the visa issue with the U.S. Department of State, following the U.S.'s decision to bar Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas from attending next month's U.N. General Assembly in New York. This move comes amidst a longstanding U.N. Headquarters agreement between the U.S. and the U.N., which generally requires the U.S. to allow access for foreign diplomats to the U.N. in New York.
The U.S.'s refusal to issue a visa to Abbas has led to a series of events, with the U.N. General Assembly meeting taking place in Geneva instead of New York, as was originally planned. This decision was made back in 1988, when the U.S. also refused to issue a visa to PLO leader Yasser Arafat.
The State Department has justified its decision by reiterating longstanding U.S. and Israeli allegations against the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO). The U.S. has accused the PA and PLO of failing to repudiate extremism and pushing for "unilateral recognition" of a Palestinian state.
The Palestinians currently hold observer status at the U.N., the same as the Holy See (Vatican). At least 147 of the 193 U.N. member states have already recognised a Palestinian state. The recognition pledges by Western powers reflect frustration with Israel's actions in Gaza and anger with Israeli settlement building in the West Bank.
Several U.S. allies are set to recognise Palestine as a state at the U.N. gathering. France, Canada, Australia, Belgium, and the United Kingdom have pledged to formally recognise a Palestinian state at the summit. Germany, however, opposes this move.
Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has welcomed the State Department's decision, while the U.S. and Israel are upset with several allies who have pledged to recognise a Palestinian state at the U.N. next month.
The Palestinians have long sought a state in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza, with East Jerusalem as its capital. In June, Abbas wrote a letter to France's president condemning the Hamas attack and calling for the release of hostages taken by the group.
The State Department demands that the PA and PLO consistently repudiate terrorism, including the deadly October 2023 Hamas attack that sparked Israel's war in Gaza. The State Department said that the Palestinian Authority's mission to the U.N. would not be included in the restrictions. The State Department can deny visas for security, extremism, and foreign policy reasons.
Abbas was also set to attend a summit in New York, hosted by France and Saudi Arabia. The Palestinians are yet to comment on the U.S.'s decision and the alternative arrangements being made for the U.N. General Assembly meeting in Geneva.
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