Palestinian envoy slams US for denying visas to PLO members, PA officials for UNGA 2026

New York: Palestine's Ambassador to India, Abdullah M Abu Shawesh, on Thursday criticised the US' decision to extend visa restrictions on members of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and the Palestinian Authority (PA), saying that the host country behaves like an owner of the United Nations.

In an interview with the IANS, Shawesh said that the Embassy has issued an opposition paper on the US decision as Palestine has not been allowed to speak at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for the second consecutive year.

"I think the very first and important point regarding the 2026 UNGA meeting is that we, the Palestinians, have been denied our right to attend it. This is again due to the decision of the host country and our Embassy has already issued an opposition paper on it as the US is behaving like the owner of the United Nations. So, unfortunately, again for the second year in a row, the United States of America revoked or prohibited us as Palestinians to attend and to deliver or to speak before the United Nations General Assembly," the Palestinian Ambassador said.

The envoy's statement came after the US State Department said that it has extended sanctions that deny visas to PLO members and PA officials in accordance with section 604(a)(1) of the Middle East Peace Commitments Act of 2002 (MEPCA). The US State Department said that the decision was taken as the PLO and PA have once again "failed to live up to their commitments" as described in the PLO Commitments Compliance Act of 1989 (PLOCCA) and the Middle East Peace Commitments Act of 2002 (MEPCA).

Shawesh mentioned that despite restrictions, Palestine and Gaza was "fully represented" at the UNGA with several other world leaders stressing on ending the "Israeli occupation'. He also recalled how the UN was unable to protect its premises in Jerusalem when Israel banned and expelled the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), a UN entity that deals with Palestinian refugees.

"By the end of the day, all of these resolutions mean nothing to Israel... Israel outlawed this very important UN entity, attacked and hijacked it, expelled them from their main building in Jerusalem and international community. United Nations itself did not have the ability to protect even its premises. The United Nations is very important entity, but again, United Nations mean collective effort from all the nations, 193 countries," he added.

Shawesh said that diplomatic resolutions to conflicts is possible only when international community takes "real steps" towards implementation of the peace process.

"What we are facing in Palestine is a devastating, genocidal war since approximately three years. It is not a conflict," he said. "It's the Israeli occupation what we are facing, devastating occupation since 1967 and also a genocidal war for approximately three years in row."

"Yes, there is always hope for a diplomatic solution, for a peaceful solution but this hope will continue to be a theoretical unless we as an international community are united to take this hope to a practical level... So, we call the international community today to take real steps towards the implementation of the peace process and to do something very significant to move from the rhetoric lip service to practical level. Once the international community moves from the rhetoric, from the lip services to a practical move, the peace will be there," he added.

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