The United Nations General Assembly has voted overwhelmingly (145-5, with six abstentions) to allow Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to address the upcoming annual UN gathering via video, after the United States revoked his visa along with those of about 80 other Palestinian officials.
The visa denials, formalized by the U.S. State Department on August 29, were justified by Washington on grounds of national security, and for what it deemed failures by the Palestinian Authority and related bodies to uphold commitments, including repudiation of extremism and unilateral state recognition efforts.
In response, Abbas’s office and Palestinian representatives urged the U.S. to reverse its decision, insisting the denials violate the UN’s “Headquarters Agreement” which obliges the United States, as host country, to grant access to foreign leaders attending diplomatic functions at UN headquarters.
The UN motion permitting a remote address underscores both diplomatic tension and concern among member states. Many saw the U.S. move as setting a precedent for restricting diplomatic access under claims of security, which critics argue could undermine international norms.
Abbas had planned to attend a conference co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia designed to revive momentum toward a two-state solution. Several countries participating in that effort are also considering recognizing Palestinian statehood formally.
While it remains unclear whether the U.S. will reverse the visa revocations, Abbas is now formally able to deliver his address virtually to the UNGA. The decision reflects growing friction over U.S. policy toward Palestine, broader concerns about access, diplomacy, and legitimacy in international institutions.
