
Trump administration denies entry visas to Palestinian officials ahead of UN general assembly
It is the second year this administration has barred the Palestinian delegation from US travel ahead of the forum
The US state department said on Wednesday that it had again denied entry visas to Palestinian officials ahead next weekâÂÂs United Nations general assembly gathering in New York.
The state department said in a statement that the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) had âÂÂfailed to live up to their commitmentsâÂÂ, accusing the groups of âÂÂtaking actions to internationalize the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict including through the International Criminal Court (ICC) and International Court of Justice (ICJ)â and of âÂÂglorifying terrorismâ among other allegations.
âÂÂAs 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,â the department said.
The move marks the second year in a row that the Trump administration has barred the Palestinian delegation from traveling to New York to attend the UN general assembly in person.
The foreign ministry of the Palestinian Authority denied the allegations made against them by the state department in a statement on Thursday, describing the visa sanctions as an âÂÂunjustified measureâ that âÂÂcontradicts the efforts being made to restore trust, develop Palestinian-US relations, and prepare the necessary political climate for implementing the two-state solution and achieving peace and stability in the region.âÂÂ
Among the Palestinian officials barred from entering the US is Mahmoud Abbas, the longtime president of the Palestinian Authority, according to reports. The UN general assembly is set to vote on a draft resolution on Thursday to allow Abbas to address the gathering remotely, according to two officials familiar with the planned vote, per the New York Times. Last year, Abbas addressed the gathering by video conference.
This yearâÂÂs UN general assembly general debate begins on 22 September.
