The United States has again denied Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas a visa to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York, preventing him from participating in person for the second consecutive year.
The visa denial was confirmed after the US State Department announced that it would extend visa restrictions on officials of the Palestinian Authority and members of the Palestine Liberation Organization ahead of the upcoming General Assembly session. A source familiar with the matter confirmed that Abbas was covered by the restrictions.
The State Department said the Palestinian Authority and the PLO had failed to meet commitments made to the United States and accused the organisations of taking actions that Washington says undermine prospects for peace.
Among the reasons cited by the US government were Palestinian efforts to pursue matters through international institutions, including the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice. Washington also objected to efforts to obtain recognition of a Palestinian state outside direct negotiations with Israel.
The State Department further accused the Palestinian organisations of supporting payments to people convicted of attacks against Israelis and of glorifying terrorism. These are positions stated by the US government as justification for the visa restrictions.
The decision is similar to the action taken by Washington last year, when Abbas and other senior Palestinian officials were also denied visas to attend the UN General Assembly in New York. Abbas subsequently addressed the gathering by video after UN member states approved a special arrangement allowing him to participate remotely.
The latest restrictions do not prevent Palestinian diplomats accredited to the United Nations from continuing their work in New York. The State Department said it had maintained a waiver for personnel formally assigned to the PLO Observer Mission to the United Nations.
The United Nations is now expected to consider whether Abbas can again participate remotely in the high-level General Assembly meeting. The proposed arrangement would allow him to deliver a video address if approved by member states.
The issue has also renewed questions about access to the UN headquarters in New York. Under the 1947 UN Headquarters Agreement, the United States generally has obligations concerning access for representatives attending UN activities, although Washington maintains that visa restrictions can be imposed in certain circumstances on security and foreign-policy grounds.
Palestine has observer-state status at the United Nations rather than full membership. Its representatives participate in General Assembly proceedings but do not have the voting rights of full UN member states.
The visa decision comes amid continued international disagreement over Palestinian statehood and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A number of countries have recognised Palestine as a state, while the United States has continued to oppose moves that it considers an attempt to bypass direct negotiations.
For Abbas, the immediate consequence is that he will not be able to travel to New York for the General Assembly unless the visa decision changes. His possible participation in the meeting will therefore depend on the outcome of the UN's consideration of remote participation.
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