Palestinian Authority Rejects U.S. Visa Denial for UN General Assembly Delegation

The Palestinian Authority has condemned the United States' refusal to grant visas to President Mahmoud Abbas and other officials ahead of the UN General Assembly, describing the decision as an unacceptable effort to silence Palestinian leadership.

Speaking in Ramallah, Omar Awadallah, deputy minister for political affairs at the Palestinian Foreign Ministry, said the move breaches the host country agreement with the United Nations. He argued that the delegation's purpose is to attend the General Assembly, not to visit the U.S. as tourists, and that barring the leadership undermines efforts to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli and Arab-Israeli conflicts through peaceful means at the UN.

Awadallah noted this is the second time Washington has prevented Palestinian leaders from travelling to New York. He also rejected U.S. allegations that the Authority has glorified extremism and drifted from peace efforts, saying such claims ignore its international and domestic work, including a reform agenda that he said is more than 80 percent implemented.

If the delegation cannot attend in person, Awadallah said the leadership will submit a resolution to allow Abbas to address the international community by video conference or a televised statement. He added that Palestinian officials will continue working with international partners to press Washington to reverse the decision.

The foreign ministry defended its strategy of pursuing international recognition through courts and global bodies, a course the U.S. opposes on the grounds that it bypasses direct negotiations.