President Mahmoud Abbas is also among the Palestinian officials to whom the United States has abolished the visa, the US Department of Foreign Affairs said on Friday. American diplomacy chief Marco Rubio canceled the visa in addition to Abbas, another about 80 representatives. He did so before the UN General Assembly in September, where France will lead the initiative for the recognition of the Palestinian State. According to the AP report, TASR reports this.
According to the US news agency, this step is the latest of the series of measures of President Donald Trump’s administration targeted to the Palestinians. In addition, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs suspended a program that allowed the injured Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to come to the US and take treatment there.
The Ministry of Diplomacy stated on Friday that Rubio also ordered the US to reject new applications for the visa of Palestinian officials, including those linked to the Liberation of Palestine Liberation (OOP). According to the US ministry, the Palestinian self -government “undermines the prospects of peace”.
They criticized the decision
The Ministry did not indicate how much visa has canceled or how many applications it rejected. So far, it has not been clear whether the entrance to the US would not allow Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Palestine is not a full member of the United Nations, but has the status of a permanent observation state in the organization.
The Palestinian self -government criticized the US decision and called on it to abolish the rejection of the visa for Palestinian officials to participate in the UN General Assembly in September. According to the Palestinian President’s office, Washington’s step is clearly contradictory with international law and the UN headquarters in New York.
UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric stressed that it is important that all Member States and observers are present at the meeting. “We hope it will be resolved,” he added, adding that they want to talk to the US Department of Foreign Affairs.
The Palestinian ambassador to the UN Riyadh Riyadh Mansur said that Abbas was planning to keep a Palestinian delegation at the UN meetings and also spoke with a speech. In addition, he was to participate in a meeting led by French and Saudi Arabia on 22 September on a two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
