SaralnamaOn 29 August 2025, the US government denied visas to Palestinian officials, including President Mahmoud Abbas, preventing them from attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York next month. The US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, said this action was to hold the Palestinian Authority accountable for not meeting commitments and for seeking recognition of a Palestinian state through international courts instead of negotiations. The US called on Palestinian leaders to stop supporting terrorism and return to peace talks. Despite this, the Palestinian Mission to the UN will still receive waivers under the UN Headquarters Agreement. This move aligns the US closely with Israel, which opposes Palestinian statehood. The decision may affect the usual speeches and participation of Palestinian leaders at the UN meeting. (Updated 29 Aug 2025, 21:08 IST; source: link)
Key Points
- On 29 August 2025 , the US government denied visas to Palestinian officials, including President Mahmoud Abbas, preventing them from attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York next month
- The US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, said this action was to hold the Palestinian Authority accountable for not meeting commitments and for seeking recognition of a Palestinian state through international courts instead of negotiations
- The US called on Palestinian leaders to stop supporting terrorism and return to peace talks