September 20, 2025 | 01:23 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The UN General Assembly on Friday approved a resolution enabling Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to deliver a speech via video recording at the upcoming high-level General Debate.
The resolution regarding the participation of the State of Palestine in the 80th session of the General Assembly was passed with 145 in favor, six abstentions, and five against, including the United States and Israel.
As reported by Anadolu, this decision was made following the US' refusal to issue or extend visas for Abbas and senior Palestinian Authority officials, resulting in their inability to attend the annual UN meeting in New York.
Abbas was among the 80 Palestinian officials whose visas were revoked by the US State Department on grounds of national security concerns.
This move by the US comes amid plans by several countries, including the UK, France, Australia, and Canada, to formally recognize the State of Palestine during the General Assembly meetings.
Previously, 147 countries had already acknowledged Palestine.
Palestine's Ambassador to the UN, Riyad Mansour, expressed gratitude to the countries supporting the resolution, labeling it as a "crystal clear position" that the host country must adhere to the UN Headquarters Agreement.
He said the visa denials constituted an "abuse of authority and a punishment for the State of Palestine that should not take place."
Mansour emphasized that Palestine would not give up any of its rights to full participation in the UN.
The General Debate speeches are scheduled to begin on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, after leaders convene on Monday for the high-level meeting—hosted by France and Saudi Arabia—aimed at building momentum towards a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine.
"Gaza is issue number one at the UN General Assembly," reported Diplomatic Editor of Al Jazeera, James Bays, from New York.
"All leaders come here and give their speeches. But on this occasion … Mahmoud Abbas has been denied a visa … which is very unusual."
Bays stated that the majority of votes supporting Abbas to address the UN General Assembly via video reflects the "snapshot of international opinion on Palestine and Gaza”, and that it showed “very few countries that are backing the side of Israel and the US."
The decisions of the Trump administration have received widespread criticism, with the UN stating that the decision violates the Host Country Agreement, which obliges the US to allow heads of state and government to travel to New York for the annual meetings and diplomatic affairs.
The US visa restrictions come amid increasing condemnation of Israel's genocidal actions against Palestinian residents in Gaza and the surge of violence by Israeli settlers and military in the occupied West Bank.
In response to Israel's brutal attacks over the past two years, an increasing number of countries, especially in Europe, have announced intentions to support Palestinian statehood at the UN in September.
According to local health officials, Israel's genocidal war in Gaza has claimed the lives of at least 65,141 people and injured 165,925 others since October 2023, with thousands more believed to be buried in the rubble.
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