Written By Dwayne Ferreira.
Mahmoud Abbas visa request is denied by the US again, preventing the Palestinian leader from attending the UN General Assembly in New York.
NEW YORK — The United States has again denied Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and members of his delegation visas to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York, forcing the Palestinian leader to address the gathering remotely for a second consecutive year.
The US State Department confirmed the decision on Wednesday, saying visa restrictions would continue against members of the Palestine Liberation Organization and Palestinian Authority officials.
The department said the action followed what it described as failures by the Palestinian leadership to meet commitments relating to reform and the peace process.
Among the reasons cited by Washington were Palestinian legal actions against Israel through international institutions, efforts to obtain recognition of Palestinian statehood outside a negotiated settlement, and payments linked to prisoners and families of Palestinians killed in the conflict.
A Palestinian official told The Times of Israel that the notice rejecting Abbas’s visa request referred to an alleged association with a terrorist organisation, although the official said no detailed explanation was provided.
Abbas had been expected to travel to New York for next week’s high-level UN meetings.
The decision means he is likely to appear by video, as he did when prevented from travelling to the General Assembly previously.
Despite the broader restrictions, Washington said an exemption would remain in place allowing members of the Palestinian Mission to the United Nations to continue operating in New York.
The visa dispute is likely to generate renewed debate over the responsibilities of the United States as host country of the United Nations headquarters, while Washington maintains that its measures are consistent with American law.
