UN General Assembly session and Palestinian delegation participation after U.S. visa restrictions

152 countries back a resolution urging Washington to reverse its decision barring Palestinian officials from attending in person.

The UN General Assembly on Thursday overwhelmingly backed a resolution calling on the United States to reverse its decision to prevent the Palestinian delegation from attending the 81st session in person, according to the Palestinian Foreign Ministry.

RELATED: U.S. Extends Palestinian Visa Ban Ahead Of UN General Assembly

The ministry said 152 countries voted for the resolution, which it described as a rejection of the U.S. decision and a violation of the UN Headquarters Agreement.

Washington earlier extended visa restrictions on Palestinian Authority officials and members of the Palestine Liberation Organization, preventing Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and other senior officials from attending the General Assembly’s high-level meetings in New York in person.

Watch the moment the international community overwhelmingly voted against the decision by the United States to deny visas for Palestinian officials to participate in the UN General Assembly session.

152 in favor vs 3 against (United States, Israel, and Paraguay).

🇵🇸 🇺🇳 pic.twitter.com/nLDYGu8ueU

— State of Palestine (@Palestine_UN) September 17, 2026

The U.S. State Department linked the restrictions to what it described as the Palestinian leadership’s failure to meet commitments and actions that undermine prospects for peace. Palestinian authorities rejected that justification as unjustified.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said the General Assembly vote would not prevent Abbas from addressing the session. His speech will be delivered by video at the scheduled date and time, it said.

The ministry welcomed the resolution and thanked the countries that sponsored and supported it. It said the vote ensured that the Palestinian delegation would still participate in the proceedings despite the U.S. restrictions.

The ministry also said it would continue pursuing political, legal and diplomatic avenues on behalf of the Palestinian people, while working to address what it described as the occupation, colonial policies and settler violence. It reiterated its goal of an independent State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The 81st session of the General Assembly opened on Sept. 8, with the high-level General Debate scheduled to begin on Sept. 22.

From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.