US Again Denies Visas to Palestinian Delegation for UN General Assembly

The Trump administration has refused visas for a high-level Palestinian delegation to attend the United Nations General Assembly, marking the second consecutive year it has blocked such travel.

The State Department said on Wednesday that Palestinian officials, including Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, had not fulfilled their commitments under previous agreements to pursue peace with Israel.

In a statement, the department pointed to the Palestinian Authority's continued legal action against Israel at the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court, as well as its ongoing payments to the families of prisoners convicted of attacks against Israelis. It also referenced officials associated with the Palestine Liberation Organization.

"As a consequence of their failure to reform, contrary to their commitments to the United States, and their ongoing activities that undermine the prospects for peace, the United States will extend sanctions that deny visas to PLO members and PA officials" under existing U.S. law, the department said.

The decision is the latest in a series of visa restrictions by the Trump administration and underscores Washington's close alignment with Israel, which has faced international isolation over its war in Gaza following the deadly October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas. A fragile, U.S.-brokered ceasefire took effect in October, though Israel has continued to carry out strikes in the Palestinian territory.

The move also comes as the administration has launched a campaign to dismantle the ICC, accusing it of unfairly targeting U.S. and Israeli soldiers for alleged crimes in Afghanistan, Iraq and Gaza. Neither Israel nor the United States is a member of the tribunal.

Despite the visa denials, Palestinian diplomats already accredited to the United Nations will represent the delegation at next week's high-level meeting. Last year, Abbas addressed the gathering by video.