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US visa restrictions on Palestinian officials

Updated 4 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-17 10:04 UTC → 2026-09-17 11:27 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The United States has denied entry visas to Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and approximately 80 officials from the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian Authority (PA) for the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in New York. This marks the second consecutive year Abbas has been barred from attending the assembly in ~~person.~~ person, forcing him to participate via video conference. The U.S. State Department justified the decision by citing a failure to implement promised governance reforms and activities that undermine peace prospects. Specific grievances include Palestinian efforts to internationalize the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ), seeking unilateral recognition, and the continued payment of stipends to individuals the U.S. labels as terrorists. Washington also criticized the glorification of terrorism in public statements and school textbooks. While the Palestinian Mission to the UN in New York remains exempt from these restrictions under the UN Headquarters Agreement, the move has drawn criticism from European leaders in France, Spain, and Ireland, who argue that access to the General Assembly should not be restricted. The Palestinian side has expressed “deep shock” at the decision, suggesting it violates the 1947 UN Headquarters Agreement regarding diplomat access. ~~In response to the denials, the~~ The Palestinian ~~Mission~~ Authority has ~~submitted a resolution to~~ condemned the ~~UN General Assembly to allow Abbas~~ decision as unjustified, stating it undermines efforts to ~~participate in the sessions virtually, a method utilized during the previous year.~~ build trust and develop Palestinian-American relations.

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