US plans to bar Abbas from UN General Assembly for second year: Report

The Trump administration plans to bar Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas from travelling to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly's 81st session on 24 September 2026, according to US officials, in what would be the second consecutive year Washington has denied visas to the Palestinian leader and his delegation.

Abbas raised concerns about the planned restriction with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who called US President Donald Trump to intervene, according to the information provided. A US official subsequently confirmed that Washington still intends to prevent Abbas from attending, reports Arab News.

The United Nations said it had not received official notification of a visa denial.

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said the organisation expected the United States to fulfil its obligations under the UN host treaty, which requires Washington to facilitate travel for foreign diplomats attending UN business.

Dujarric also noted that the UN had raised similar visa-related issues concerning other delegations, including the Russian Federation, in the past.

The US State Department did not confirm whether Abbas's visa would be denied, citing confidentiality rules. It said, however, that the United States takes its treaty obligations seriously and that US law allows the secretary of state to impose travel restrictions on members of foreign missions.

The planned restriction would follow a similar decision in August 2025, when Washington barred Abbas and other Palestinian officials from travelling to the United States. The move prompted the UN General Assembly to vote 145-5 in favour of allowing Abbas to participate remotely.

Abbas subsequently addressed the General Assembly by video.

At the start of 2026, the United States further tightened its entry restrictions by suspending admission for people travelling on Palestinian Authority-issued documents.

The restrictions have added to tensions between Washington and the Palestinian Authority, although the United States continues to engage with the authority on specific issues, including arrangements for Gaza after the war.

The planned visa denial comes as the Palestinian leadership seeks greater international support for Palestinian statehood and participation in multilateral diplomacy. Abbas, 90, has led the Palestinian Authority since 2005 and remains the internationally recognised head of the Palestinian administration in the occupied West Bank.