in-cyprus 30 August 2025
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will not attend the UN General Assembly in New York next month after the United States cancelled his visa and those of about 80 other Palestinian officials.
The decision was confirmed by the U.S. State Department, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio stating that the Palestinian leadership “undermined peace efforts” and is seeking “unilateral recognition of a hypothetical Palestinian state.”
This move is considered unusual, as the U.S., as the host country of the UN, is obligated under the UN Headquarters Agreement to facilitate access for all officials participating in meetings, regardless of its bilateral relations with Washington. The fact that the ban comes at a time when France and other countries—including Britain, Canada, and Australia—have announced they will proceed with the recognition of a Palestinian state, adds greater political significance to the decision.
The Palestinian side reacted strongly to the decision. Abbas’s office called the visa revocation a “blatant violation of international law,” noting that the State of Palestine has been a UN observer member since 2012. The Palestinian Ambassador to the UN, Riyad Mansour, had already announced that Abbas would lead the delegation to the General Assembly, which is now impossible.
In contrast, Israel welcomed the American stance. Foreign Minister Gidon Sa’ar stated that “the State Department’s decision is justified,” while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his long-standing position that recognizing a Palestinian state would amount to “rewarding Hamas terrorism.”
In a similar vein, Rubio accused the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) of being “unable to be considered peace partners” unless they renounce terrorist attacks like the October 7th massacre, end “incitement to terrorism in education,” and stop resorting to international courts against Israel.
At the UN, spokesman Stéphane Dujarric emphasized that there would be communication with Washington, stressing that “it is important for all member states and permanent observers to be represented at the General Assembly,” especially, as he noted, in light of the special session on the two-state solution, which will be co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia.
The U.S. decision raises questions about its compliance with its international obligations, while the political balance surrounding the Palestinian issue appears to be entering a new phase, with the recognition of a state by more Western countries on the horizon.
