New York, Aug 30 (V7N) – The United States has taken unprecedented steps by denying and canceling visas for 80 Palestinian officials, including President Mahmoud Abbas, raising doubts about their participation in the upcoming UN General Assembly session in New York. The session, scheduled for next month, is expected to see several influential countries, including France, the United Kingdom, and Canada, recognize Palestine as a state.

The move has sparked international criticism. A US State Department statement blamed the Palestinian Authority for ignoring the peace process and seeking unilateral recognition of a hypothetical Palestinian state. Secretary of State Marco Rubio cited national security concerns. While Palestinian officials working at the UN mission will still be allowed to attend, the exclusion of top leadership marks a significant diplomatic hurdle.

Israel welcomed the US decision, but Palestinian representatives expressed surprise. Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian envoy to the UN, said, “We will examine how this applies to our representatives and respond accordingly.”

Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN, criticized the move as contrary to the UN Headquarters Agreement and international law. He emphasized the need to ensure participation of all member states and observer representatives, citing Articles 11 and 12 of the agreement.

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) has held observer status at the UN since 1974. While it does not have voting rights, it uses the platform to advocate for Palestinian independence. To date, 147 of the 193 UN member countries have officially recognized Palestine.

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