No Entry For Abbas: U.S. Slams The Door On Palestinian Authority President Ahead Of UN Meetings

The United States is extending visa restrictions on Palestinian Authority officials and members of the Palestine Liberation Organization, leaving Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas unable to travel to New York for next week’s United Nations General Assembly.

It marks the second consecutive year that Abbas has been prevented from traveling to New York for the annual gathering of world leaders. The State Department says the PA and PLO have again failed to meet commitments required under U.S. law.

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Among the issues cited by Washington are Palestinian efforts to “internationalize” the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through institutions including the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice, as well as efforts to obtain recognition of a Palestinian state outside direct negotiations with Israel.

The dispute also comes against the backdrop of longstanding U.S. objections to Palestinian payments involving prisoners and families of Palestinians killed or imprisoned by Israel, a system critics have labeled “Pay for Slay.” Historically, the program provided stipends to Palestinians imprisoned by Israel and families of Palestinians killed or imprisoned, with some prisoner payments tied to sentence length. U.S. and Israeli officials have argued that the system rewarded terrorism, while Palestinian officials have described the payments as social welfare.

Abbas claims he ordered the previous prisoner-payment system replaced in 2025 with a needs-based welfare program. However, U.S. and Israeli officials have disputed whether those reforms sufficiently ended the controversial payments.

The State Department said the visa restrictions are a consequence of what it described as the PA and PLO’s failure to reform and continued activities that undermine prospects for peace.

There is an exception for personnel assigned to the PLO’s observer mission at the United Nations, but that waiver does not clear Abbas to travel to New York for the General Assembly. Abbas could instead be forced to deliver his address remotely.

So while world leaders make their way to New York, Abbas may be attending from considerably farther away.

Looks like Abbas will have to Zoom in.