The United States has denied Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas a visa to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York, preventing him from taking part in person for a second consecutive year.
The US State Department said it was extending visa restrictions on officials from the Palestinian Authority and members of the Palestine Liberation Organization ahead of the annual gathering of world leaders.
Washington said the decision followed what it described as a failure by the Palestinian leadership to meet commitments under previous agreements. The State Department cited Palestinian efforts to pursue cases involving Israel at the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice, as well as attempts to seek international recognition of a Palestinian state outside direct negotiations.
The United States also accused the Palestinian Authority of continuing policies that it says support or glorify terrorism. Palestinian officials have disputed US positions on these issues.
Despite the visa restrictions, Palestinian diplomats who are already accredited to the United Nations will continue to represent the Palestinians at the organisation.
The General Assembly is expected to consider a measure allowing Abbas to address the gathering remotely. Last year, after Washington also prevented him from travelling to New York, member states approved a special arrangement that allowed him to deliver a prerecorded video address.
The proposed arrangement would again enable Abbas to participate without travelling to the United States. The General Assembly is due to vote on the matter before the high-level session begins.
The visa decision has renewed debate over the obligations of the United States as the host country of the United Nations. Under the UN headquarters agreement, Washington is generally expected to facilitate access for representatives attending UN meetings, although the US maintains that it can impose restrictions on security and foreign-policy grounds.
The Palestinian Authority has observer status at the United Nations and does not have voting rights in the General Assembly.
The decision comes as diplomatic tensions between Washington and the Palestinian leadership remain high, including disagreements over international legal proceedings involving Israel and efforts to secure wider recognition of Palestinian statehood.
Abbas, who is 90, is therefore expected to rely on remote participation if the General Assembly approves the proposed arrangement, allowing him to address the annual meeting despite being unable to travel to New York.
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