New York, August 29, 2025 (dpa/CrestNewsOnline) The United States’ State Department on Friday said it was “denying and revoking visas for members of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and the Palestinian Authority (PA)”.

This development has come less than two weeks before the start of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

The decision comes after a number of countries, including France, Australia and Canada, announced their intentions to recognise Palestinian statehood at the high-profile gathering.

The move is vehemently opposed by Israel and its most important backer, the U.S.

“Before the PLO and PA can be considered partners for peace, they must consistently repudiate terrorism —- including the October 7 massacre —- and end incitement to terrorism in education, as required by U.S. law and as promised by the PLO,” the State Department said in a statement to justify the visa restrictions.

It was initially unclear whether this means U.S. authorities might also deny entry to PA President Mahmoud Abbas to attend the gathering, set to take place in New York from September 9.

In response, UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric called on Washington to reconsider.

“We obviously hope that this will be resolved,” he said, adding that it was important for all member-states and permanent observers to be represented at the session, where France and Saudi Arabia are organising a meeting on a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine dispute.

Dujarric continued: “We’ll discuss these matters with the State Department, in line with the UN Headquarters agreement between the UN and the U.S.”

The agreement stipulates, among other things, that no U.S. security agencies are allowed to operate on the grounds of the UN headquarters in the centre of Manhattan in New York.

It also has it that UN members have the right to transit freely through the U.S. to the headquarters.

“We will like to see all diplomats and delegates who are entitled to come here to be able to travel freely,” Dujarric added.

According to the State Department statement, the Palestinian mission to the UN —- which only holds observer status and is not a full member of the body —- is exempt from the visa restrictions.

The U.S. first imposed visa restrictions against the PLO and the PA in late July, but so far authorised entry permits have not been revoked.

The PA, led by 89-year-old Abbas, administers parts of the occupied West Bank, while the PLO serves as the official representation of Palestinians at international level.

Both entities are separate from the extremist group Hamas, which led the unprecedented attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.

That day, its fighters and other militants killed some 1,200 people and abducted some 250 to the Gaza Strip.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar welcomed the U.S. announcement.

He thanked Secretary of State Marco Rubio “for holding the ‘PLO’ and PA accountable for rewarding terrorism, incitement and efforts to use legal warfare against Israel.”

Saar also thanked the Trump administration for “this bold step and for standing by Israel once again” in a post on X.

(www.crestnewsonline.ng)

*Edited by Shareef Ibala