The famine and humanitarian aid in Gaza, a ceasefire, the recognition of Palestinian statehood, and possible steps toward a two-state solution: the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in September will be the scene of much discussion and potential decisions on the humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territories and Israel's war in Gaza. World leaders will travel to New York for the meeting.

Members of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) will not be present. The Palestinian Authority is the official governing body in the Palestinian territories of Gaza and the West Bank, but regarding Gaza, this is purely theoretical. The PLO is internationally seen as the organization that represents the Palestinians.

The US State Department announced Friday that it will not issue visas to members of the PA or the PLO. Existing travel authorizations will also be revoked. As a result, leaders such as Mahmoud Abbas, the PA president, will be absent from New York."The Trump administration has been clear: it is in our national security interest to hold the PLO and the PA accountable for failing to fulfill their obligations and for undermining the prospects for peace," the US press release stated.

"Before the PLO and the PA can be considered partners for peace, they must consistently reject terrorism—including the October 7 massacre—and end incitement to terrorism in education, as required by US law and as pledged by the PLO," the communiqué continues."The PA must also end its attempts to circumvent negotiations through international legal proceedings, including those before the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice, and its attempts to secure the unilateral recognition of a hypothetical Palestinian state. Both of these steps have significantly contributed to Hamas's refusal to release its hostages and the collapse of ceasefire negotiations in Gaza."

Unique decision

It's highly unusual for a foreign delegation to be denied entry to the US in its entirety. According to Fox News, which first reported the news, it's never happened before.

"While visas have been denied on an individual basis, including for members of the Iranian delegation, officials acknowledge in the documents documenting this decision that Washington has never previously barred an entire delegation," Fox writes."The internal guidelines state that this unprecedented step is justified because Palestinian leaders plan to use the September meeting to push through a 'constitutional declaration of independence,' a move the US views as a major propaganda boon for Hamas and a threat to the Gaza ceasefire talks."

Members of the Permanent Mission of Palestine to the UN, who are already based in New York, are allowed to attend the meeting. Palestine has observer status at the UN.