US Revokes Visas of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and 80 Officials Ahead of UN Meeting

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' office urged the US government to reverse its decision to revoke his visa, as well as the visas of 80 other officials, ahead of the annual high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly. This decision comes as the US has taken several steps to target Palestinians with visa restrictions, citing national security interests. The move has been met with strong criticism from the Palestinian Authority and the UN, with the Palestinian Authority denouncing it as a violation of US commitments as the host country of the UN.

Key Takeaways:

• The US State Department revoked the visas of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and 80 other officials ahead of the annual high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly.
• The Palestinian Authority has denounced the visa withdrawals as a violation of US commitments as the host country of the UN.
• The move is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to target Palestinians with visa restrictions, citing national security interests.
• The UN spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said that the world body would be seeking clarification from the State Department on the decision.
• Palestinian presidential spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh urged other countries to put pressure on the Trump administration to reverse the decision.
• French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot protested the restrictions on access to the UN General Assembly, calling it a "violation of neutrality" and a "sanctuary dedicated to peace."

Statistics:

• 80: The number of Palestinian officials whose visas were revoked by the US State Department.
• 1: The number of people killed in a Russian mass drone and missile attack on southern Ukraine (mentioned in a separate article, but relevant to the context of the Palestinian issue).
• 22: The date of the high-level conference on reviving efforts for a two-state solution for the Middle East, co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia.
• Many years: The number of years in which Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has addressed the UN General Assembly.

Sources:

• The Associated Press: "Palestinian President's Office Says US Revoked His Visa"
• The US State Department: Statement on the revocation of visas for Palestinian officials
• The UN: Statement by Stephane Dujarric, UN spokesman
• Le Monde: "L'Amérique a annulé les visas des dirigeants palestiniens" (French article on the subject)