Denied US Visa, Palestinian President Delivers Video Address at UN General Assembly, Criticizing 'Illegal Punitive Measures'

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who was denied a US entry visa for the second consecutive year, criticized the US action through a video address at the UN General Assembly held at the UN Headquarters in New York on the 24th (local time).

According to AFP and other foreign media, President Abbas criticized the US visa denial against him as an "illegal punitive measure" during his video speech that day.

He also stated that the claims presented by the US as the grounds for the visa denial were unacceptable.

President Abbas recorded the speech the previous day at his office in Ramallah, in the Palestinian West Bank.

Previously, the US State Department announced last week that it had denied visa issuance for President Abbas and Palestinian Authority officials who applied for visas to attend the UN General Assembly.

The US State Department pointed out that the Palestinian Authority has pursued legal actions against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC), and supports the families of Palestinian prisoners convicted of attacking Israelis.

The US State Department explained, "In accordance with current laws, we are extending sanctions denying visas to officials of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian Authority, as they have failed to implement reforms contrary to their commitments to the US and continue activities that undermine the prospects for peace."

In response, the Palestinian Authority criticized the move, stating, "Restricting attendance at UN meetings is a violation of the UN Headquarters Agreement. The US decision is unjust and directly contradicts efforts to restore trust between the two sides and achieve peace, including the implementation of the two-state solution."

The Palestinian Authority acquired non-member observer state status at the UN General Assembly in 2012, gaining eligibility to address the General Assembly and join UN-affiliated international organizations.

Meanwhile, in his video address that day, President Abbas mentioned the Israeli military's prolonged occupation of the West Bank and the war in the Gaza Strip, saying, "The Palestinian people are facing one of the most dangerous periods in history." He also reiterated calls for the international community to take stronger action against Israel and condemn it more loudly, noting that Israel has targeted all essentials necessary for survival.

The Palestinian Authority was launched following a series of peace agreements signed with Israel in the 1990s and currently governs parts of the autonomous regions in the West Bank.

In the Gaza Strip, it was ousted after the militant group Hamas won the 2006 legislative elections and seized control of Gaza by force.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.