Archive · 17 Sep 2026
US Again Denies Palestinian President Visa for UN Meeting
The United States has again refused visas to Mahmoud Abbas and some other Palestinian officials.
They wanted to attend a major meeting at the United Nations in New York.
Palestine can join debates there but cannot vote because it is a non-member observer state.
The United States said the Palestinian leadership had not kept promises about reforms and peace efforts with Israel.
It also criticized Palestinian cases against Israel at international courts.
Washington objected to payments connected to Palestinian prisoners and attacks against Israelis.
Palestinian officials said they had changed their welfare system and made other reforms.
Palestinian diplomats who already work at the United Nations can still attend the meeting.
Last year, Abbas joined by video instead of travelling to New York.
The United States denied visas to Mahmoud Abbas and other Palestinian officials for next week’s United Nations General Assembly.
The State Department said the Palestinian Authority and Palestine Liberation Organization failed to meet commitments to reform and pursue peace with Israel.
Washington cited Palestinian legal actions at the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice, as well as payments to families of prisoners convicted of attacks against Israelis.
The Palestinian Authority said the decision was unjustified and ignored reforms to its welfare, financial, administrative, educational and legal systems.
Palestinian diplomats already accredited to the United Nations can still represent Palestine, while the visa denials mark the second consecutive year Abbas has been barred from attending in person.
- Who
- The United States denied visas to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and other Palestinian Authority and Palestine Liberation Organization officials.
- What
- The United States extended visa denials preventing the Palestinian delegation from attending the United Nations General Assembly in person.
- When
- The decision was announced Wednesday ahead of next week’s General Assembly meeting, marking the second consecutive year of denials.
- Where
- The meeting will be held at the United Nations in New York.
- Why
- The United States cited alleged failures to reform and pursue peace commitments, Palestinian legal actions against Israel, and payments associated with prisoners convicted of attacks against Israelis; the Palestinian Authority disputes this rationale.
United States position
Palestinian Authority position
Reason for the visa denial
United States position
The United States said Palestinian officials failed to reform and honor commitments to pursue peace, while continuing activities that undermine peace prospects.
Palestinian Authority position
The Palestinian Authority called the decision unjustified and said it harms efforts to rebuild trust, improve Palestinian-US relations and support a two-state solution.
Legal actions and international recognition
United States position
Washington said Palestinian organizations were internationalising the conflict, pursuing cases against Israel at international courts and seeking unilateral recognition outside negotiations.
Palestinian Authority position
The Palestinian Authority’s response emphasized its reforms and efforts to establish transparent, verifiable mechanisms; the articles do not report a direct response to each US criticism.
Payments and reforms
United States position
The United States said the Palestinian Authority continued stipends to terrorists and payments linked to prisoners convicted of attacks against Israelis.
Palestinian Authority position
The Palestinian Authority said it changed its welfare system so payments are based on family need rather than political affiliation or prisoner status, and cited broader reforms.
- Visa decision
- The United States denied visas to Mahmoud Abbas and other Palestinian officials.
- Frequency
- The denials have occurred for the second consecutive year.
- Palestine’s UN status
- Palestine is a non-member observer state with participation rights but no voting rights in General Assembly resolutions.
- US rationale
- The State Department cited failures to reform, actions it said undermine peace prospects, and alleged violations of commitments to the United States.
- Actions cited by Washington
- The United States pointed to Palestinian cases at the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice and payments to families of prisoners convicted of attacks against Israelis.
- Palestinian response
- The Palestinian Foreign Ministry called the decision unjustified and said it disregarded welfare, financial, administrative, educational and legal reforms.
- Alternative representation
- Palestinian diplomats already accredited to the United Nations can attend the high-level meeting.
