The office of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday asked the U.S. government to reverse its decision to revoke his visa, just weeks before he was scheduled to attend the United Nations’ annual General Assembly and an international conference on creating a Palestinian state.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio canceled the visas of Abbas and 80 other Palestinian officials ahead of next month’s high-level U.N. meeting, the State Department announced Friday. Exceptions were made for Palestinian representatives who work directly with the U.N. mission.
This decision is part of a series of visa restrictions the Trump administration has placed on Palestinians.
The State Department explained that Rubio also ordered certain new visa applications from Palestinian officials, including those linked to the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), to be denied.
“It is in our national security interests to hold the PLO and PA accountable for not complying with their commitments, and for undermining the prospects for peace,” the statement said.
The Palestinian Authority called the visa cancellations a violation of U.S. commitments as the host nation of the United Nations.
Abbas has often spoken at the General Assembly and typically leads the Palestinian delegation.
“We call upon the American administration to reverse its decision. This decision will only increase tension and escalation,” Palestinian presidential spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh told The Associated Press in Ramallah on Saturday.
He added that Palestinian officials have been in contact with Arab and foreign countries since Friday and will continue those efforts. He also urged the international community to pressure the Trump administration to change its stance.
EU countries back Palestinian leader
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot criticized the U.S. move, saying it restricted access to the U.N. General Assembly.
“The United Nations headquarters is a place of neutrality, a sanctuary dedicated to peace, where conflicts are resolved,” he said Saturday. “The U.N. General Assembly cannot suffer any restrictions on access.”
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he spoke with Abbas on Saturday to show support and called the visa denial “unjust.”
“Palestine has the right to make its voice heard at the United Nations and in all international forums,” he posted on X.
The visa cancellations came as Israel declared Gaza’s largest city a combat zone, saying Gaza City remains a major Hamas stronghold.
