Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and 80 other officials’ visas has been revoked by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to a State Department official on Friday. It comes ahead of the high-level annual UN General Assembly, and has attracted criticism from Palestinian Authority as being against international law.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, has revealed Palestinian representatives assigned to the UN mission were excepted from this decision which follows new visa restrictions so they would be able to continue their New-York based operations, reports UNB/AP.
The Trump administration has recently targeted Palestinians with visa restrictions, and also suspended a programme that Palestinian children who were injured in Israel’s military offensive in Gaza to travel to the US for medical treatment.
Rubio ordered new visa applications from Palestinian officials to be denied, according to the State Department said in a statement. The officials include those tied to the Palestine Liberation Organization.
“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 statement read that the groups “must consistently repudiate terrorism in education” as per the law in the United States and as was promised by the PLO, if they want to be considered partners for peace.
The decision to withdraw the visa was denounced by the Palestinian Authority as a violation of US’ responsibility as the host country of the UN and has requested it be undone by the State Department.
The Palestinian Authority said in a statement that the decision over the visa has been met with “deep regret and astonishment” by the Palestinian presidency, and the denial “contravenes international law and the Headquarters Agreement, especially since the State of Palestine is an observer member of the United Nations.”
Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN, commented, “We obviously hope that this will be resolved,” he said seeking clarification from the State Department. “It is important that all member states, permanent observers be able to be represented.”
Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian ambassador to the UN, said on Friday that Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas had planned address the General Assembly as the leader of the delegation to the UN, like he did for years. He was also slated to attend a meeting on the 22nd September regarding a two-state solution, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia.