US bars Palestinian President Abbas from attending UN assembly in New York

New Delhi, Aug 30: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has been barred from attending next month’s United Nations General Assembly in New York after the United States revoked visas for him and more than 80 other Palestinian officials, the U.S. State Department has confirmed, according to the BBC.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the move was in response to Palestinian leaders seeking “the unilateral recognition of a conjectural Palestinian state,” accusing them of undermining U.S.-backed peace efforts, reports BBC. Under the UN Headquarters Agreement, the U.S. is expected to allow entry for officials of all member and observer states traveling to UN meetings, regardless of diplomatic relations.

France is leading a renewed push for the recognition of a Palestinian state at the upcoming UN session, a move strongly opposed by Washington. Palestinian ambassador to the UN, Riyad Mansour, had earlier said Abbas would attend the annual gathering of world leaders. But U.S. officials later clarified that both Abbas and about 80 other members of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and Palestinian Authority (PA) would be denied entry.

Abbas office expressed “astonishment” at the U.S. decision, calling it a violation of international law and the UN charter. It urged Washington to reverse the move, reports the BBC.

Abbas chairs the PLO, which has held observer status at the UN since 1974, allowing it to participate in debates but not cast votes.