EU presses Washington to reverse visa ban on Palestinian UN delegation

Submitted by MEE and agencies on Sat, 09/19/2026 - 11:48 Diplomatic rift deepens as the US extends its visa ban on PA officials, drawing sharp criticism from the EU and UN leadership over glaring double standards

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaks during a meeting with Palestinian leaders at the Muqata, the Palestinian Authority headquarters, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, on 20 February 2019 (AFP) Off

The European Union has urged the United States to reconsider its refusal to grant visas to Palestinian Authority (PA) officials aiming to attend the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, marking the second consecutive year Washington has blocked the delegation's travel.

The EU's diplomatic service expressed regret over the ongoing ban, pointing to the US's legal responsibilities as the host nation of the United Nations.

"In light of its existing headquarters agreements with the UN and its obligations as host state, we urge the United States for this decision to be reconsidered," said EU spokesman Anouar El Anouni on Saturday.

The diplomatic friction follows a recent UNGA vote permitting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to address the upcoming 81st session via a prerecorded statement.

Earlier, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres echoed the EU's sentiments, stating he was deeply concerned about how the visa denials impact "the ability of the State of Palestine to participate fully in the work of the United Nations".

The US State Department confirmed on Wednesday that it is extending visa sanctions against members of both the PA and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).

Washington justified the move by accusing the Palestinian leadership of failing to implement reforms and engaging in activities that "undermine the prospects for peace".

Specifically, the US condemned the PA for bypassing direct negotiations with Israel to pursue international recognition of Palestinian statehood and for taking its disputes to international courts.

The State Department also cited Ramallah's financial stipends to the families of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

The travel restrictions highlight a stark diplomatic contrast: no equivalent US travel bans have been imposed on Israeli officials, despite the International Criminal Court pursuing an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes in the Gaza Strip.

Abbas to address Gaza and settlements

Despite the travel ban, Abbas's video address next week is expected to strongly push for the international recognition of a Palestinian state, aiming to build on the momentum generated by recent formal recognitions from the UK, France, Canada and other western states over the past year.

The Palestinian president is expected to spotlight the devastating humanitarian crisis in Gaza, alongside the surge of illegal Israeli settlement expansion and escalating settler pogroms across the occupied West Bank.

US bans Palestinian president from speaking at the UN Read More »

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the UN resolution allowing Abbas's virtual address, framing it as a successful pushback against attempts to erase Palestine's presence at the UNGA's annual session.

Meanwhile, the US State Department on Thursday indicated that it had approved visas for a small number of Iranian officials to attend the UNGA.

State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott had only shared a cryptic post on X suggesting some Iranian diplomats may be coming to New York.

"While ordinary Iranians endure brutal repression, water and electricity shortages, and soaring inflation, the regime's officials want to go on shopping sprees in New York. Not on our watch," he said.

"We will not let the Iranian regime's elites exploit UNGA for a luxury retail splurge paid for by the Iranian people's suffering, all while the regime funnels Iran's wealth to support its terrorist proxies," he added.

"The US will continue to ban Iranian UN Mission officials, visiting officials, and their dependents from buying wholesale club memberships or luxury goods here."

The visas issued will limit the scope of the delegation's movements in Manhattan, and the number of visiting officials will be smaller than last year, the New York Times reported.

The delegation is expected to include Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Araghchi has been the chief negotiator with the Americans, alongside Iran's parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, as the US-Israeli war on Iran enters its seventh month.

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