Ahead of the United Nations General Assembly meeting in September, the United States, which has begun denying and revoking visas for members of the Palestine Liberation Organisation and the Palestinian Authority, prevented Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas from attending, as it reasoned that Palestine was pursuing international legal action against Israel, a justification echoing Israel’s right-wing government, which firmly rejects Palestinian statehood.
Abbas’s office expressed astonishment at the move and argued that it breached the UN headquarters agreement, yet Washington maintained that the Palestinian mission would still be allowed to participate in official proceedings, The Guardian reported.
The US administration justified the measure by claiming it was necessary to hold Palestinian institutions accountable for alleged failures to meet commitments and for pursuing international legal action against Israel, and the decision brought American policy further in line with Israel’s rightwing government, which firmly rejects Palestinian statehood.
Israeli leaders welcomed the move as a sign of continued support, while the UN stressed that it was important for all member states and observers, including the Palestinians, to be represented at the summit that precedes the general assembly.
The restrictions coincided with growing international debate over Palestinian recognition, as Australia, Canada, the UK and France prepared to support recognition of a Palestinian state at the UN if certain conditions were met, a development that provoked strong criticism from Israel, which argued that such recognition would embolden Hamas.
The Palestinian Authority, widely viewed by Arab powers and European states as a potential administrative partner in Gaza once the conflict ends, has been sidelined by Israel, which has refused to consider its involvement.
Meanwhile, Israel pressed ahead with a large-scale offensive on Gaza City despite mounting pressure at home and abroad to end the campaign, and military officials confirmed that operations had entered the outskirts of the city with considerable force. The assault followed Hamas’s attack on Israel in October 2023 that left 1,200 dead and 251 abducted, and the conflict since then has killed more than 63,000 Palestinians, injured 150,000 and displaced nearly the entire population.
The UN recently declared famine conditions in Gaza City, blaming systematic restrictions on humanitarian aid, and international concern over the scale of destruction and civilian casualties continues to intensify.