EU urges US to reconsider visa restrictions on Palestinian delegation
The European Union expressed regret over the extension of entry-visa restrictions ahead of the Palestinian delegation’s participation in the 81st UN General Assembly session in New York.
The EU expressed regret over the US extension of visa restrictions on Palestinian officials and called on Washington to reconsider the decision, citing its obligations as host of the United Nations. Reuters reported that Mahmoud Abbas had been denied a visa for the General Assembly meeting; the US said the restrictions were linked to efforts it described as internationalizing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The European Union has expressed regret over the United States’ decision to extend entry-visa restrictions on members of the Palestinian delegation for a second consecutive year and urged Washington to reconsider the move.
In a statement published by the official website of the European External Action Service, the EU said the restrictions were extended ahead of the Palestinian delegation’s participation in the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
“Given the existing agreements concerning the United Nations headquarters and the obligations of the United States as the host country, we call on the US government to reconsider this decision,” the statement said.
Reuters previously reported, citing an informed Palestinian official, that the United States had refused to issue an entry visa to Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, to attend the week’s General Assembly meeting in New York. The move would extend restrictions imposed last year.
The US State Department said on Wednesday, without identifying a specific official, that visa restrictions on Palestinian officials would be extended over actions Washington said were aimed at “internationalizing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.” The department cited, among other matters, the pursuit of cases involving Israel before international courts and institutions.