The Palestinian Authority has denounced the U.S. decision to revoke visas for Palestinian officials, including President Mahmoud Abbas, ahead of the UN General Assembly, as countries prepare to recognise Palestine’s statehood.
“We express our deep astonishment at this decision and consider it a flagrant breach of the 1947 Headquarters Agreement, which guarantees the entry and protection of representatives of UN member states,” said Ahmed al-Deek, political adviser to the foreign minister.
Signed between the UN and the U.S. in 1947, the Headquarters Agreement obliges Washington DC, to facilitate entry for representatives, staff, and experts of UN member states, regardless of political relations.
Al-Deek urged UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and member states to resolve what he called a clear violation.
He said Palestinian leadership would consult with friendly nations to determine appropriate diplomatic steps.
He added the U.S. decision “will not stop the wave of recognition of the State of Palestine, nor the international consensus on the need to halt genocide, displacement, and annexation.”
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Presidency expressed “deep regret and surprise” over the U.S. decision in a statement, declaring that the move “contradicts international law and the UN Headquarters Agreement,” noting that Palestine has observer status at the UN. The statement demanded that the US “reconsider and reverse its decision.”
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Deputy Palestinian President Hussein al-Sheikh echoed the call on X, saying: “We call on the United States of America to reconsider and reverse its decision to deny the Palestinian delegation entry visas to New York to attend the General Assembly meetings,” emphasising that the decision “is against international law and the rules and laws of the headquarters.”
Earlier on Friday, the U.S. State Department said it was canceling visas for members of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and the Palestinian Authority (PA) ahead of the UN General Assembly in September.
The State Department said in a statement: “In accordance with U.S. law, Secretary of State Marco Rubio is denying and revoking visas from members of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and the Palestinian Authority (PA) ahead of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly.”
U.S. Senator Tom Cotton supported the decision on X alleging the PLO pay terrorists.
“The Palestinian Authority and Palestine Liberation Organisation pay terrorists to kill civilians, including Americans in Israel. The terrorists who run this pay-for-slay scheme have no business setting foot in the United States.”
Several Western countries, including France and the UK, have already announced plans to recognise the State of Palestine during the upcoming UN meetings.
Israel continues to occupy Palestinian territories and rejects a withdrawal that would allow for an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital on the pre-1967 borders.
Under a 1947 UN agreement, the US is generally required to allow access for foreign diplomats to the UN in New York.
But Washington has said it can deny visas for security, extremism and foreign policy reasons.
The death toll in Gaza has now risen to 63,025, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.
It also reported five more malnutrition-related deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number during the war to 322, with 121 of them children.
The war in Gaza was triggered when Hamas militants stormed into southern Israel on 7 October 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 250 others hostage.
