The US visa sanctions against Palestinian President Abbas are causing frustration and outrage in the EU. The EU is calling on the US to"reconsider" the ban. If it remains in place, Abbas would not be able to travel to the UN General Assembly.

Germany and the other EU states criticize the US visa sanctions against representatives of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). They argue that these sanctions would also affect Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas himself.

"We all strongly urge a reconsideration of this decision," said EU foreign minister Kaja Kallas after a meeting in the Danish capital, Copenhagen. The US State Department had previously confirmed the visa sanctions against Palestinian President Abbas, numerous other individuals, and the PLO.

Abbas could not attend the UN General Assembly

Due to the US government's move, Abbas will likely be unable to travel to the United States for the next UN General Assembly. The meeting is scheduled to run from September 22 to 30. While the United Nations headquarters in New York is located in territory with special status that, strictly speaking, is not part of the United States, since it does not have its own airport, foreign delegations must first set foot on US soil before traveling there. This is not possible without a visa.

At the UN General Assembly in September, several states, including France, Canada and Australia, want to recognize a Palestinian state.

Abbas's office speaks of violation of UN agreement

In a statement, Abbas's office expressed its"deep regret and astonishment" at the US State Department's decision. It hoped that the administration in Washington would reconsider and reverse this step. During the term of Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden, and also during Trump's first presidency, Abbas had always been able to deliver speeches at the United Nations during the General Assembly.

The Palestinians say this action violates the 1947 UN Headquarters Agreement. According to this agreement, the United States is generally obligated to grant foreign diplomats access to the United Nations in New York. However, Washington has stated that it can deny visas for security, extremism, and foreign policy reasons.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar welcomed the move. In a post on Platform X, he thanked US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for holding the PLO and PA accountable for rewarding"terrorism and sedition."

Palestinian state as a problem for the USA?

The US had already imposed visa sanctions on the PLO and the PA at the end of July. What's new is that previously issued entry permits are now also being revoked. The US State Department justified the decision by stating that the organization and the agency must first"consistently reject terrorism" before they can be considered as partners in the peace process. They also accuse the Palestinian organizations of pursuing"unilateral recognition" of a Palestinian state.

This is also not the first time that the United States has influenced the UN General Assembly with its visa policy. In 1988, the US government denied the then head of the PLO, Yasser Arafat, a visa to the UN General Assembly. In response, a session was moved to Geneva so that Arafat could deliver a speech.