Key Facts

• Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was denied a US visa to attend the UN General Assembly in New York.
• This is the second consecutive year that the US has blocked Abbas from attending in person.
• The US extended visa sanctions initially imposed in August 2025 on around 80 Palestinian officials.
• The US accuses the Palestinian Authority and Palestine Liberation Organization of "glorifying terrorism" and trying to internationalize the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
• Palestinians reject these accusations and say they have the right to hold Israel accountable under international law.
• Under the UN Headquarters Agreement, the US should allow foreign diplomats access to the UN, but it can deny visas for security or foreign policy reasons.
• Abbas addressed the UN General Assembly by video last year and may do so again this year, pending a UN vote.
• The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains severe, with ongoing violence and casualties despite a ceasefire last October.