The United States has extended visa restrictions on officials of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) ahead of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The decision means Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will again be unable to travel to the United States to attend the UN gathering in person, marking the second consecutive year that his visa has been denied.
The US State Department said the restrictions were being extended because it considers the PA and PLO to have failed to meet commitments made to Washington. The department cited Palestinian efforts to pursue matters through the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice, as well as efforts to seek international recognition of a Palestinian state outside direct negotiations with Israel.
The United States has, however, maintained a waiver for personnel of the PLO Observer Mission to the United Nations, allowing its regular staff to continue working at the UN in New York.
Abbas was also prevented from attending last year’s General Assembly in person and addressed the gathering remotely. The latest decision comes as the UN General Assembly prepares to begin its annual high-level session next week.
The visa restrictions add to ongoing diplomatic tensions between Washington and the Palestinian leadership ahead of the UN meeting.
