US denies visa to Mahmoud Abbas for UN General Assembly

For the second consecutive year, the United States government has refused to grant a visa to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, preventing his attendance at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly. A source familiar with the situation confirmed that the denial follows a broader policy stance by the U.S. State Department, which announced the extension of sanctions prohibiting visa issuance to members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and other Palestinian Authority officials.

The U.S. State Department cited a lack of internal reforms and the alleged failure of Palestinian leadership to fulfill previous commitments as the primary justification for the decision. Furthermore, the U.S. government claims that ongoing activities by the Palestinian Authority continue to undermine prospects for regional peace. This policy mirrors actions taken in 2025 during the Trump administration, which also resulted in the denial of a visa to Abbas.

As a consequence of this travel restriction, President Abbas will be unable to participate in person during next week's diplomatic proceedings in New York. Similar to the events of last year, it is expected that he will be required to address global leaders via a pre-recorded video link or live remote connection, rather than attending the summit in person.