US blocks Palestinian officials from attending UNGA as countries prepare to recognize Palestine

WASHINGTON

The US has revoked visas for Palestinian officials, barring them from attending next month's United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, a move that comes as several Western countries prepare to recognize a Palestinian state.

"In accordance with U.S. law, Secretary of State Marco Rubio is denying and revoking visas from members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the  Palestinian Authority (PA) ahead of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly," the State Department said in a statement on Friday.

It said that the PA Mission to the UN will receive waivers per the UN Headquarters Agreement.

The agency accused PLO and PA of failing to repudiate terrorism, inciting violence, and pursuing “international lawfare campaigns” through the International Criminal Court (ICC) and International Court of Justice (ICJ).

In a separate statement on X, State Department deputy spokesman Tommy Pigott wrote: "Before we take them seriously as partners in peace, the PA and PLO must completely reject terrorism and stop counterproductively pursuing the unilateral recognition of a hypothetical state."

The State Department on July 31 imposed sanctions on the PLO and PA, denying their members visas to the US. Washington, however, recently lifted sanctions on violent Israeli settlers accused of attacks against Palestinians.

The move came as France, the UK, Canada, and Australia have announced plans to recognize a Palestinian state at the upcoming UNGA, joining 147 countries that already do.

Palestinian officials previously criticized the US sanctions, saying they were a "response to the significant and successive achievements of Palestinian diplomacy."

UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told a daily briefing that the UN had learned of the US move through press reports and would follow up with the State Department.

"We'll discuss these matters with the State Department, in line with UN Headquarters agreement between the UN and the US," he added.

It was not immediately clear whether Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas would be able to attend and deliver his usual address at the annual gathering.

When pressed on the issue, Dujarric emphasized that all diplomats and delegates entitled to attend the UN should be able to travel freely.

"We obviously hope that this will be resolved. It is important that all member states, permanent observers be able to be represented, especially, I think, in this case, with the, as we know, the upcoming two state solution meeting that France and Saudi Arabia will host at the beginning of the GA (General Assembly)," he added.

Meanwhile, Palestine's UN envoy Riyad Mansour told a news conference at the UN headquarters in New York that they "will respond accordingly" to the State Department's decision once they have the full details.

"It was brought to my attention just about half an hour ago. We will see exactly what it means and how it applies to any of our delegation, and we will respond accordingly," he said.

The move also comes amid Israel's brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip, where more than 63,000 Palestinians have been killed in air and ground attacks since Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, assault in Israel.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its war on the enclave.

*Merve Aydogan in Canada contributed to the story