US denies Palestinian leader Abbas visa to attend UN assembly

NEW YORK

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (AA Photo)

The United States has denied Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas an entry visa to attend the U.N. General Assembly in New York next week, a source familiar with the case said on Sept. 16.

In a separate statement that did not mention Abbas by name, the State Department say it would deny visas to members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and officials with the Palestinian Authority (PA), “as a consequence of their failure to reform, contrary to their commitments to the United States, and their ongoing activities that undermine the prospects for peace.”

A source familiar with the matter confirmed to AFP that the Palestinian Authority president, Abbas, was covered by the measure.

The Trump administration took the same step last year, forcing the Palestinian leader, a regular at the U.N. General Assembly, to address the body of global leadership by video.
In its statement on Sept. 16, the State Department said that the PLO and PA had “once again, failed to live up to their commitments.”

“This includes initiating and supporting actions at international organizations that undermine and contradict prior commitments,” the department also said.