The US State Department announced on 29/8 that it would not allow Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to travel to New York in September for the annual UN General Assembly meeting of world leaders, where some Western nations are expected to recognize a Palestinian state.

A State Department official said Abbas and about 80 other Palestinian officials would be affected by the decision to deny and revoke visas for members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank.

Abbas had planned to travel to New York for the UN General Assembly's annual meeting at its Manhattan headquarters. He was also expected to attend a summit there hosted by France and Saudi Arabia, where Britain, France, Australia and Canada are committed to recognizing a Palestinian state.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas speaks at UN headquarters in New York in 2023. Photo: AFP

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas speaks at UN headquarters in New York in 2023. Photo: AFP

Abbas's office expressed surprise at the US decision to revoke visas, calling the move a violation of the UN's "headquarters agreement".

Under the 1947 UN "headquarters agreement", the US is required to grant visas for foreign diplomats to travel to the organization's headquarters. However, Washington says it can deny visas for reasons of security, extremism and foreign policy.

In explaining its 29/8 decision, the State Department reiterated a long-standing US and Israeli accusation that the PA and PLO had failed to root out extremism while still pushing for the "unilateral recognition" of a Palestinian state.

"This decision is in our national security interest to hold the PLO and PA accountable for failing to uphold commitments and undermining the prospects for peace," the State Department said in a statement.

Palestinian officials rejected the accusations, noting that decades of US-brokered negotiations have failed to end Israel's occupation and secure an independent Palestinian state.

The State Department said the Palestinian Authority's delegation to the UN, including officials permanently based there, would not be subject to the restrictions.

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said the organization would discuss the visa issue with the State Department to ensure it "conforms with the agreement" between the two.

The US previously denied a visa to PLO leader Yasser Arafat in 1988. That year, the UN General Assembly held its meeting in Geneva instead of New York so that Arafat could address the assembly.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar welcomed the US decision. Israel and the US are unhappy with some allies' commitment to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN next month.

The recognition move by Western nations reflects frustration with Israel's offensive in Gaza, a conflict that has led to tens of thousands of deaths and famine, as well as disapproval of Israel's settlement building in the West Bank, considered the heartland of a future Palestinian state.

At least 147 of the 193 UN member states have recognized a Palestinian state. Palestine currently has observer status at the UN.

Palestinians have long sought a state in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza, with East Jerusalem as its capital. The US, meanwhile, maintains that a Palestinian state can only be established through direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.

Hong Hanh (According to Reuters)