International Condemnation Erupts Over US Visa Denial for Palestinian UNGA Attendees

Following the US decision to revoke visas for Palestinian representatives planning to attend the UN General Assembly, France has issued a strong condemnation. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot stated that access to the UNGA should not be subject to limitations, speaking at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Denmark. The French position was supported by a number of other ministers at the meeting, who also urged the United States to reconsider its decision. The US move is particularly significant given France’s leadership in pushing for the recognition of a Palestinian state at the upcoming UN gathering in New York. The action is seen as aligning the US with the Israeli government amidst the ongoing war in Gaza. The United States, as the host nation for the UN, is expected to grant access to officials attending the world body. However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Palestinian officials would be denied visas, preventing their participation in the annual UN General Assembly. The visa restrictions apply to officials from the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organisation who are not based at the Palestinian mission to the UN. The US Department of State issued a statement that the visa ban adheres to US law and aims to hold the PLO and PA responsible for actions that undermine peace efforts. The statement also insisted that the Palestinian Authority must renounce terrorism and end any association with it. Further, it demanded an end to the incitement of terrorism in educational materials and cessation of international legal campaigns that seek to bypass negotiations, claiming that these actions hampered ceasefire talks in Gaza.