(August 10, 2025)
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is considering unilaterally announcing the transformation of the PA into a state during the upcoming UN General Assembly in New York in September, London-based outlet al-Araby al-Jadeed reported on Sunday.
Description
Organization of work, adoption of the agenda and allocation of items – Item 7: Draft resolution (A/80/L.2/Revision 1)
Action on the draft resolution
Question of Palestine – Item 35
The measure, concerning the participation of the State of Palestine in the assembly’s 80th session, passed with 145 votes in favor, six abstentions, and five against, including the US and Israel.
The move follows Washington’s decision to deny and revoke visas for Abbas and senior Palestinian Authority officials, effectively banning them from traveling to New York for the UN’s annual gathering.
GENEVA – UN experts* today urged the United States to grant Palestinian leaders visas ahead of the UN General Assembly in New York in September, and lift the discriminatory suspension of processing visitor visas for all Palestinian nationals.
“The General Assembly in New York is the epicentre of global diplomacy for peace, justice and human rights. Unilaterally excluding foreign leaders strikes at the heart of this vital mission. The US should maintain its long tradition of allowing access to the United Nations’ headquarters as a neutral meeting place for peaceful dialogue,” the experts said.
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*The experts:
– Ben Saul, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism
– Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967
– George Katrougalos, Independent expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order
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(August 29, 2025)
(Washington D.C., August 29, 2025) – In response to the U.S. State Department‘s decision to deny visas to Palestinian Authority officials ahead of the September UN General Assembly meeting, DAWN issues the following statement:
„The UNGA should hold its September meeting in Geneva to allow Palestine to participate,“ said Sarah Leah Whitson, DAWN‘s executive director. „Moving the meeting there will send a message to the Trump administration that the international community does not tolerate these breaches of long standing law requiring access to all representatives.“
The UN Headquarters Agreement of 1947 requires the United States to provide unfettered access to UN proceedings for all representatives, regardless of bilateral disputes. Section 11 establishes an „unrestricted right“ for officials to enter the U.S. for UN business, while Section 12 states these provisions apply „irrespective of the relations existing between the Governments“ and the U.S.
(August 31, 2025)
The issue was brought before the International Court of Justice, an agency of the UN, which ruled that the US was legally bound by the headquarters agreement. But the ICJ never issued a final ruling on the Arafat visa denial because the issue was brought to arbitration, although that process too was never brought to a definitive conclusion.
The EU has learned the decision to refuse and revoke entry visas for members of the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization ahead of their participation in the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September.
In light of the existing headquarters agreements between the UN and its host state, we urge for this decision to be reconsidered.
According to Hadash MK Ayman Odeh, “In the end, only Israel and the US, perhaps along with Micronesia, will stand alone on the international stage, trying to defy the will of the majority of the world’s nations. Trump’s decision to prevent the Palestinians from participating in the UN General Assembly is yet another direct attack on the international order. But it doesn’t really change anything: the Palestinian people have the right to self-determination, just like any other people in the world. The whole world knows this and supports this fundamental right, and everyone who believes in justice and peace stands with the Palestinian people, now, more than ever.”
“Trump’s decision to ban Palestinians from the UN summit in New York is a full and direct attack on the UN and the international order. The US is an enemy of the Palestinian cause and is fully supportive of the genocidal settler Israeli government. The rest of the world, the UN, and all peace-loving peoples must resist this attack and stand by the Palestinian people. If it be – the UN conference should be held in Europe”, Hadash MK Aida Touma-Sliman agreed,
As UN host, Washington is obligated not to block delegates. While activists frequently demand visa bans on controversial leaders, the US rarely enforces such measures.
Exceptions include barring Sudan’s Omar al-Bashir in 2013 over ICC charges and forcing the General Assembly to meet in Geneva in 1988 when Yasser Arafat was refused entry.
RAMALLAH, August 30, 2025 (WAFA) – The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) expressed its deep regret over the US State Department‘s decision to deny the Palestinian delegation visas to participate in the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York next month.
The OIC called on the US government to reconsider this discriminatory decision, which contravenes international law and the Headquarters Agreement it signed, and to fulfill its obligations under this agreement and respect the role of the United Nations as an inclusive platform for all states and their official representatives.
The OIC also called on all parties to the international community, particularly the United Nations, to take urgent action with the relevant US authorities to reverse this decision.
The State Department said in a statement that Rubio also ordered some new visa applications from Palestinian officials, including those tied to the Palestine Liberation Organization, be denied.
“It is in our national security interests to hold the PLO and PA accountable for not complying with their commitments, and for undermining the prospects for peace,” the statement said.