Diplomacy & Geopolitics
Palestinian visas: EU urges US to reconsider denial
The European Union has urged the United States to reconsider its refusal to grant visas to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and other Palestinian delegation members before the UN General Assembly meeting in New York.
Anouar El Anouni, a spokesman for the EU's diplomatic service, said on Saturday that the bloc regretted Washington's decision to deny entry visas to members of the Palestinian delegation for a second year in a row. He cited the United States' host-state obligations and headquarters agreements with the United Nations in urging Washington to rethink the move.
The General Assembly voted 152 to 3 on September 17 to allow Abbas to appear virtually again this year. As matters stand, only members of the Palestinian mission to the UN will be able to attend the meeting in person.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also expressed regret at Washington's decision on Friday and said he was concerned about its impact on the ability of the State of Palestine to participate fully in UN work.
The Trump administration also denied visas to the Palestinian delegation last year, forcing Abbas, a regular attendee at the General Assembly, to address world leaders by video.
The State Department has said the visa decision followed what it called failures by the Palestine Liberation Organization and Palestinian Authority to reform and activities it said undermined prospects for peace. Washington also accused Palestinian officials of trying to internationalise the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice, seeking recognition outside negotiations, and continuing to pay stipends to terrorists and glorify terrorism.
The Palestinian foreign ministry called the visa denial unjustified and said Washington had disregarded reforms carried out by the State of Palestine. The Palestinian Authority recently changed a payment system for families of imprisoned or slain Palestinians so welfare payments are allocated by need rather than political affiliation or prisoner status.
Update
EU diplomatic service spokesman Anouar El Anouni urged the United States to reconsider the visa denial, citing US host-state obligations and headquarters agreements with the UN.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed regret and concern about the impact on the State of Palestine's participation in UN work.
Only members of the Palestinian mission to the UN are currently able to attend the meeting in person.
The new item states that Washington's refusal covers Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and other members of his delegation.
Source note: AFP news report published on 19 September 2026 at 07:47:57 UTC.
Update
The European Union urged the United States to reconsider its denial of visas to a Palestinian delegation for a UN meeting.
Source note: AFP news report published on 19 September 2026 at 07:17:42 UTC.
Update
The UN General Assembly voted 152 to 3 on Thursday to allow Mahmoud Abbas to appear virtually again this year.
Source note: AFP news report published on 17 September 2026 at 20:13:00 UTC.
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The Palestinian foreign ministry condemned the US decision as unjustified and harmful to efforts to rebuild trust.
The Palestinian ministry said reforms had been carried out in social welfare, financial, administrative, educational and legal fields.
The Gaza death toll figure supplied by Gaza's health ministry rose to more than 73,821.
Source note: AFP news report published on 17 September 2026 at 10:30:31 UTC.
Update
The State Department said the visa denials apply to members of the Palestine Liberation Organization and Palestinian Authority officials.
Washington accused the PLO and PA of actions involving the ICC, ICJ, unilateral recognition efforts, payments to terrorists and public glorification of terrorism.
AFP reported that 142 UN member states endorsed a Palestinian state after a two-state solution conference co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia.
The source adds West Bank and Gaza casualty context attributed to Palestinian and Gaza health ministry data.
Source note: AFP news report published on 17 September 2026 at 01:57:36 UTC.
Update
The State Department issued a separate statement accusing the Palestinian Authority and other organizations of "failure to reform."
AFP reported that this is the second straight year the United States has denied Abbas a visa.
Source note: AFP news report published on 17 September 2026 at 00:25:25 UTC.
Source
AFP news report published on .