US bars Palestine’s Mahmoud Abbas from attending UN general assembly in New York

The United States has barred Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas from attending the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in New York, according to sources familiar with the situation. In a statement, the State Department explained that they would deny visas to members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and officials with the Palestinian Authority (PA) due to their inability to reform and their activities that undermine prospects for peace.

This decision is not new, as the Trump administration applied the same policy last year, forcing Abbas to address the UN General Assembly via video. The State Department accused the PLO and PA of failing to meet their commitments, including initiating actions at international organizations that contradict prior commitments and taking steps to internationalize the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice.

The move has put the United States at odds with numerous countries, including France, which recognized a Palestinian state at the UN last year. The decision comes amid escalated violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank, where Israeli soldiers or settlers have reportedly killed at least 1,109 Palestinians since October 7, 2023.