International

EU Urges US to Reconsider Visa Denial for Palestinian UN Delegation

19 September 2026 20:09 PM

NEWS DESK

The European Union has urged the United States to reconsider its decision to deny visas to members of the Palestinian delegation seeking to attend the upcoming session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

For the second consecutive year, the United States has refused to issue visas to members of the Palestinian delegation, which includes Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The UN General Assembly is scheduled to convene in New York next week.

On Saturday, Anouar El Anouni, a spokesperson for the EU’s diplomatic service, said the bloc was “regretful” over the US decision to deny entry visas to members of the Palestinian delegation for a second consecutive year.

He said Washington should reconsider the decision in light of the existing headquarters agreement between the United States and the United Nations, as well as its responsibilities as the host country.

The Trump administration also denied visas to the Palestinian delegation last year, forcing Abbas, a regular speaker at the General Assembly, to address the session by video link.

This year, the UN General Assembly voted 152-3 on Thursday in favor of allowing Abbas to deliver his address virtually.

Under the current circumstances, only members of the Palestinian mission to the United Nations will be able to attend the General Assembly session in person when it begins on Tuesday.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres also expressed regret over the US decision on Friday. He said he was concerned that the move could undermine the “ability of the State of Palestine to fully participate in the work of the United Nations.”

The United States and Israel have long opposed a Palestinian Authority policy that provided financial payments to the families of Palestinians who were imprisoned or killed.

Washington and Jerusalem have alleged that the system also provided payments to families of people who carried out attacks.

The Palestinian Authority has recently reformed the system. Under the revised mechanism, welfare assistance is to be provided based on a family’s financial needs rather than political affiliation or imprisonment.

However, the US State Department has said it also opposes what it describes as Palestinian efforts to internationalize the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Washington has cited Palestinian actions through the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ), as well as efforts to secure international recognition of a Palestinian state outside of negotiations.

The State Department has also accused the Palestinian Authority of continuing to provide what it calls “payments to terrorists” and of promoting what it describes as the glorification of terrorism and terrorists in official statements and school textbooks.

The United States also remains at odds with most UN member states over the question of Palestinian statehood. Last year, 142 UN member states voted to recognize Palestine as a state.

The US decision to deny Abbas an entry visa comes amid reports of increased violence against Palestinians by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank in recent months.

European Union United States Palestinian delegation