Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 04:36am on 17 Sep 2026,Thursday International
The United States has denied Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas a visa to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The State Department said Abbas’ application was rejected, preventing him from travelling to the US and addressing the gathering in person. Abbas will miss the UN meeting for a second consecutive year, with Palestinian officials expected to arrange a remote or prerecorded address. Washington has cited US laws concerning security, associations and statutory compliance for restrictions on Palestinian officials. The decision raises questions over US obligations under the 1947 UN Headquarters Agreement, which requires facilitating access for foreign officials attending UN business, though Washington says domestic laws can affect decisions. (PC: X)
