Fri Sep 19 16:10:31 UTC 2025: ## UN Grants Abbas Video Address After US Visa Rejection
**New York, NY** – The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) overwhelmingly voted on Friday to allow Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to address the body via video link next week, circumventing a US decision to deny him a visa to travel to New York. The resolution, passed with 145 votes in favor, 5 against, and 6 abstentions, authorizes the presentation of a pre-recorded statement from President Abbas during the annual gathering of world leaders.
The move follows weeks of appeals from the Palestinian Authority to Washington to reinstate Abbas’s visa. The US State Department reportedly revoked visas of around 80 Palestinian officials, including Abbas, citing national security concerns.
The US decision has drawn criticism, with the UN suggesting it violates the Host Country Agreement, which obligates the US to facilitate travel for heads of state and government attending UN meetings.
The timing of the visa denial coincides with increasing global condemnation of Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip and heightened tensions in the occupied West Bank. According to local health officials, Israel’s ongoing conflict in Gaza has resulted in at least 65,141 deaths and 165,925 injuries since October 2023.
Speaking from New York, Al Jazeera’s Diplomatic Editor James Bays described the vote as a “snapshot of international opinion on Palestine and Gaza,” indicating limited support for the positions of Israel and the US.
The General Assembly speeches are scheduled to commence on Tuesday, following a summit hosted by France and Saudi Arabia on Monday aimed at revitalizing efforts towards a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians. The situation in Gaza is expected to be a key focus of discussions at the UNGA.
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