Saturday, August 30, 2025
US Blocks Mahmoud Abbas from UN Visit as Allies Plan to Recognize Palestine
The United States said on Friday that it will not allow Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas to travel to New York next month for the United Nations (UN) General Assembly. Several US allies expect to recognize Palestine as a state at the gathering.
Visa Denials
➤ An official from the US State Department confirmed the impact on Abbas and approximately 80 other Palestinians. The decision includes members of both the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the PA, which governs parts of the West Bank. Trending: Arab-Islamic Committee Urges US to Reverse Visa Denial for Palestinian Delegation at UNGA 2025
➤ Abbas had planned to attend the annual UN General Assembly at UN headquarters in Manhattan. He was also scheduled to join a summit hosted by France and Saudi Arabia, where Britain, France, Canada, and Australia have pledged to formally recognize Palestine as a state.
➤ Abbas’ office said it was shocked by the US decision, claiming it violated the 1947 UN Headquarters Agreement. That agreement normally requires the US to allow access for diplomats to attend UN events. However, Washington says it can deny visas based on security, extremism, or foreign policy reasons.
US Justification
■ The State Department said the PA and PLO have failed to reject extremism and have pushed for “unilateral recognition” of a Palestinian state instead of direct negotiations.
■ “It is in our national security interests to hold the PLO and PA accountable for not meeting their commitments and for undermining the chances of peace,” the department said.
■ The restrictions will not affect the Palestinian mission to the UN, which includes officials permanently based in New York. Most Viewed: Saudi Arabia’s Hamburgini Closes After Court Orders Liquidation in 2025
International Reactions
🔹 French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot declared on Saturday that access to the UN General Assembly should remain unrestricted. Speaking at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Denmark, he said, “A UN General Assembly meeting should not be subject to any restrictions on access.”
🔹 UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric confirmed that the UN will raise the visa issue with the US, citing the Headquarters Agreement between the UN and Washington.
🔹 This is not the first time the US has blocked Palestinian leaders. In 1988, it refused a visa for PLO leader Yasser Arafat. As a result, the UN General Assembly was moved to Geneva that year so Arafat could speak.
Background
• The US State Department also repeated its demand that the PA and PLO “consistently reject terrorism.” It referred to the Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which triggered Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza.
• Abbas wrote to French President Emmanuel Macron in June, denouncing the Hamas attack and demanding the release of Hamas's hostages. Recommend: How to get Saudi Arabia's skilled work visa?
• Israel applauded the US decision. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said it showed Washington’s firm position against unilateral Palestinian recognition.
Recognition of Palestine
🔘 The US and Israel are unhappy that several Western allies plan to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN next month. Their pledges reflect growing anger over Israel’s military assault in Gaza, which has killed tens of thousands and created a hunger crisis. It also reflects frustration with Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank, considered the core of a future Palestinian state.
🔘 Currently, 147 out of 193 UN member states recognize Palestine as a state. At the UN, Palestine holds observer status, the same as the Vatican.
🔘 For decades, Palestinians have sought an independent state in the West Bank and Gaza, with East Jerusalem as the capital. The US position remains that Palestinian statehood should only come through direct negotiations with Israel, not through UN recognition. See Also: Insurance company settles 250 million riyals in Dhahran Mall fire
 |
| US Blocks Mahmoud Abbas from UN Visit as Allies Plan to Recognize Palestine |
