LAMALAH, West Bank (AP) — The Palestinian Presidential Office on Saturday urged the US government to reverse an unusual decision to cancel his visa just weeks before he appeared at the UN’s major annual general meetings and international conferences. Creating the Palestinian State.
The 27 European Union has asked the Trump administration to reconsider the move that has sparked widespread criticism.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio The State Department has revoked visas for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and 80 other staff ahead of the annual high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly. Abbas has spoken to the general meeting for many years, and generally leads a Palestinian delegation.
“We call on the US administration to reverse that decision, which only increases tension and escalation,” Palestinian president’s spokesman Nabil Abu Rudain told Ramala’s Associated Press on Saturday.
“Since yesterday we have been in touch with Arabs and foreign countries, especially the ones directly related to this issue. This effort will last 24 hours,” he said.
He urged the country to put pressure on the Trump administration to reverse the decision. 2-state solution Israel and the Palestinian territory. It is co-hosted by France and Saudi Arabia.
French Foreign Minister Jean Noel Barrotto said he “laughs” the US decision.
“The UN headquarters is a sanctuary in the service of peace. It should not be subject to access restrictions,” he posted X on Saturday after meeting with counterparts from around the EU.
EU foreign policy director Kaja Kallas issued a statement on the revoked visa, saying it “urges this decision to be reconsidered in light of existing headquarters agreements between the United Nations and its host states.”
Abu Rudain also called for an end to Israeli attacks in Gaza and the escalation in the West Bank.
This move comes as Israeli forces The largest city in Gaza has been declared as a combat zone. Israel says Gaza city remains a hub Hamas.
The Trump administration has taken several steps to target Palestinians with visa restrictions.
“It is in the national security interest to hold the PLO (Palestinian Liberation Organization) and the PA (Palestinian authorities) accountable for not following their commitments and for undermining the prospect of peace,” the State Department said in a statement.
Palestinian authorities have denounced the withdrawal of visas for breaching the US commitment as a UN host country. United Nations spokesman Stephen Dujaric said world groups are seeking clarification from the State Department. ___
Associated Press Writer Sylvie Corbet in Paris contributed to this report.
