US bars Palestinian leader Abbas from UN as allies pledge statehood
Summary
The United States barred Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas from attending the UN General Assembly in New York, amid allies’ plans to recognize Palestine as a state.
Key Points
- The US barred Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and others from obtaining visas to attend the UN General Assembly in New York.
- Several US allies, including Britain, France, Australia, and Canada, have pledged to recognize Palestine as a state at the upcoming UN summit.
- The US justified the visa restrictions citing security concerns and allegations that the Palestinian Authority and PLO failed to repudiate extremism.
- European foreign ministers criticized the US decision, calling it unacceptable and a violation of the UN headquarters agreement.
