Gaza Genocide · updated 1h ago · 3 min read
Trump Administration Denies Visas Again to Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian Delegation for UN General Assembly
US denies visas to Mahmoud Abbas and PA/PLO officials for UN General Assembly, second year. State Department cites failure to meet commitments/reforms and to seek peace; extends visa sanctions.
Whether a specific visa legal ground is named.
7 of 8 outlets skipped it: abbas was scheduled to speak Sept 24 on the same day as Netanyahu.
24outlets compared
Same story, two versions
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The Times of Israel
“the reason for the rejection as “Section 212(a)(3)(B), which prohibits the issuance of a visa”Read the original ↗
Newsweek
“The State Department's announcement did not identify Abbas by name or provide individual visa decisions.”Read the original ↗
The Times of Israel cites a specific visa-disqualification section, while Newsweek says the State Department did not identify Abbas or give individual decision…
Visa Denial at UNGA
The Trump administration denied visas for a high-level Palestinian delegation to attend the United Nations General Assembly for the second year in a row, with the State Department saying Palestinian officials including Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas failed to live up to commitments under previous agreements to seek peace with Israel.
“for the second year in a row”
The State Department said the Palestinian Authority continued to pursue legal action against Israel at the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court and kept paying stipends to the families of prisoners convicted of attacks against Israelis, while also referring to officials tied to the Palestine Liberation Organization, or PLO.
In its statement, the department said, “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.”
Despite the visa denials, the Palestinians will still be represented at next week’s high-level meeting of the U.N. General Assembly by diplomats already accredited to the United Nations, and last year Abbas appeared by video.
The decision comes as the Trump administration launched a campaign to dismantle the ICC, accusing it of trying to unfairly prosecute U.S. and Israeli soldiers for alleged crimes in Afghanistan, Iraq and Gaza, while Israel and the United States are not members of the global tribunal.
Palestinian Pushback
The Palestinian Authority rejected the U.S. decision not to grant Abbas a visa to attend UN General Assembly meetings in New York next week for the second consecutive year, describing it as an “unjustified action.”
In a statement, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry said it “reiterates the rejection of the State of Palestine to the decision... and sees it as an unjustified measure that contradicts efforts to restore confidence, develop Palestinian–American relations, and create the political climate necessary to implement a two-state solution and achieve peace and stability in the region.”
The U.S. State Department justified the extension of visa sanctions by saying it would “extend sanctions that bar entry visas for members of the Palestinian Liberation Organization and Palestinian Authority officials” due to failure to implement reforms and continuing activities that undermine prospects for peace.
The U.S. position also included a waiver for personnel notified to the PLO Observer Mission to the United Nations, while Palestinians would still be represented by diplomats already accredited to the United Nations.
The Times of Israel reported that Abbas’s office was notified of the decision on Wednesday, and that the notice cited “Section 212(a)(3)(B), which prohibits the issuance of a visa to a person who at any time engaged in terrorist activities or was associated with a terrorist organization.”T
What Happens Next
With Abbas barred from traveling in person, the Palestinian Mission to the UN submitted a resolution to allow Abbas to address the body virtually as he did last year, according to a Western diplomat cited by The Times of Israel.T
“Abbas is slotted to speak on September 24”
The Times of Israel said Abbas is slotted to speak on September 24, the same day as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while the State Department maintained a waiver allowing members of the Palestinian Mission to the UN to continue operating from New York.T
The State Department’s statement also said it would extend sanctions that deny visas to PLO members and PA officials, while the Palestinians would still be represented at the gathering by diplomats already accredited to the United Nations.
Anadolu Ajansı reported that the measures come ahead of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York, and that the State Department said it reported to Congress that the PLO and PA again failed to meet commitments under U.S. laws.
In an emailed statement, Deputy Spokeswoman Paloma Chacan said the Trump administration considers “every visa decision is a national security decision,” including for participants of the UN General Assembly.