EU and UN urge US to lift visa ban on Palestinian delegation ahead of General Assembly

Diplomatic appeals from Brussels and New York

The European Union called on the United States on Saturday, 19 September 2026, to reconsider its refusal to issue entry visas to Palestinian Authority officials and Palestine Liberation Organization members. The decision blocks Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his delegation from attending the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in person for the second consecutive year. EU diplomatic service spokesman Anouar El Anouni pointed to Washington's international commitments as the host nation of the global body.

In light of its existing headquarters agreements with the UN and its obligations as host state, we urge the United States for this decision to be reconsidered.

The appeal followed remarks on Friday by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, who expressed deep regret over the visa denials. Speaking through UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric, Guterres noted that the restriction impairs the ability of the State of Palestine to participate fully in United Nations operations. Dujarric reiterated the fundamental importance of member state representation.

The full participation of all delegations in the work of the Organization is essential to its proper functioning.

United States justification and visa sanctions

The US Department of State announced earlier in the week that it would prolong visa sanctions against Palestinian officials and PLO delegates. American authorities stated that only members already assigned to the permanent Palestinian mission to the United Nations in New York would be permitted to attend the session starting on Tuesday. The department cited a failure by the Palestinian Authority to enact governance reforms and accused the leadership of undertaking actions that undermine Middle East peace negotiations.

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, the United States will extend sanctions that deny visas to PLO members and PA officials.

Washington specifically criticised the Palestinian Authority for seeking unilateral international recognition rather than pursuing direct bilateral talks. US officials also objected to Palestinian initiatives pursuing legal action against Israel at the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice. Furthermore, the State Department condemned historical stipend payments made to convicted attackers and their families, although the Palestinian Authority recently revised that welfare program to distribute funds based on financial need rather than political status.

General Assembly vote on virtual participation

In response to the travel ban, member states of the United Nations General Assembly voted on Thursday to grant President Abbas permission to address the annual gathering remotely. The resolution allows the Palestinian leader to deliver a prerecorded video statement and participate virtually in high-level meetings throughout the week. The measure passed by a wide margin, receiving 152 votes in favour, three against, and four abstentions.

Only the United States, Israel, and Paraguay voted against the resolution, with the American representative asserting that the Palestinian Authority uses diplomacy as political theatre. Abbas addressed the assembly by video under identical restrictions during the previous session. His address this year is scheduled to focus on the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, and international recognition of a Palestinian state.

Contrasting status and wider diplomatic rift

The visa denial places Washington at odds with the 142 United Nations member states that formally recognize Palestinian statehood, including France, the United Kingdom, and Canada. In contrast to the restrictions imposed on Palestinian officials, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to travel to New York and address the General Assembly on 24 September 2026. Netanyahu faces no US entry limitations despite an active arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court in November 2024 over alleged war crimes in Gaza.