PA slams US barring Palestinian delegation ahead of UN assembly
Shafaq News – Ramallah / Washington
The Palestinian Authority (PA) on Friday condemned a US decision to deny entry visas to senior Palestinian officials, including President Mahmoud Abbas, ahead of next month’s United Nations General Assembly in New York.
US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson declared the decision was consistent with US law. “Today the Trump Administration is announcing it will deny and revoke visas from members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian Authority (PA) ahead of the upcoming UN General Assembly,” the spokesperson stated. “Before we take them seriously as partners in peace, the PA and PLO must completely reject terrorism and stop counterproductively pursuing the unilateral recognition of a hypothetical state.”
Today the Trump Administration is announcing it will deny and revoke visas from members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian Authority (PA) ahead of the upcoming UN General Assembly per U.S. law. Before we take them seriously as partners in…
— Tommy Pigott (@StateDeputySpox) August 29, 2025
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said the move violated the 1947 UN Headquarters Agreement, which obliges the host country to grant access to representatives of all member states. “This decision is unjustified and a political escalation,” the ministry said, urging UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the Security Council to intervene.
Ahmad al-Deek, assistant to the Palestinian foreign minister, told Anadolu Agency the cancellations amounted to a “clear breach of international commitments.” He warned the step would not halt growing recognition of Palestine worldwide.
Abbas was scheduled to head the Palestinian delegation to the General Assembly, where he planned to take part in a conference on a two-state solution. Palestinian UN envoy Riyad Mansour said the delegation expected “up to 10 new states” to recognize Palestine during the session.
