The UN General Assembly voted 152-3 to allow Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to deliver a recorded speech, after the United States refused to grant him a visa to attend in person. The decision enables Abbas to address the assembly remotely.
The UN General Assembly voted 152-3 on Friday to allow Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to deliver a pre-recorded speech, after the United States denied him a visa to attend in person. The vote formalizes the assembly's approval, which had been reported earlier in the week.
The thread of reports began on Wednesday evening, Sep 16, when i24NEWS first reported that the US would deny visas to Abbas and his delegation, citing the PA's continued stipend payments to terrorists and glorification of terrorism in PA schools. Shortly after, the US State Department confirmed the denial, invoking Section 604(a)(1) of the Middle East Peace Commitments Act, citing the PA's failure to implement reforms. The Palestinian Authority condemned the move as "unjustified." By Wednesday night, the UN had approved a video address for Abbas, and Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon criticized the decision, stating that "as long as Abbas continues his terror policy, he will send videos." The US also permitted an Iranian delegation to attend while maintaining the ban on Abbas.
The US visa denial marks the second consecutive year Abbas has been barred from addressing the UN General Assembly in person, as The Zioneer reported in August 2026. The decision is rooted in the Middle East Peace Commitments Act, which conditions US cooperation on PA reforms.
It remains unclear whether Abbas will deliver his recorded speech as planned, or if further diplomatic moves will alter the situation. The content of his address has not been disclosed.
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Source and signal
- Open-source intake