In a move that reverberated through international halls, the U.S. announced it will deny visas to Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas and about 80 other members of the Palestine Liberation Organization ahead of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Abbas had planned to attend the annual high-level UNGA gathering and a parallel summit where Britain, France, Australia, and Canada are set to recognize the State of Palestine as a sovereign entity. A State Department official cited security, extremism, and foreign policy grounds for the visa revocations.
The decision has drawn sharp reactions abroad: European Union foreign ministers unanimously urged the U.S. to reconsider, while the Joint Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit’s Ministerial Committee called for a reversal of the ban.
Under the 1947 UN "headquarters agreement," the U.S. normally grants access for foreign diplomats to the UN in New York, but retains the right to deny visas on specific grounds. Abbas’ office described the move as a violation of that agreement.
Despite the hurdle, the State of Palestine—an observer at the UN—already enjoys recognition from a vast majority of UN member states as of May 28, 2024, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
For young global citizens, business and tech enthusiasts, and changemakers, this story highlights the complex interplay between diplomacy, security, and the push for statehood. As international pressure builds, all eyes will be on how the U.S. and its allies navigate this landmark moment in Middle East politics.
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U.S. bars Palestinian leader Abbas from UN as allies back statehood
cgtn.com
