U.S. Blocks Abbas's UN Visit Amid Palestine Recognition Angles

The U.S. has denied visas for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and others to attend a UN assembly where allies plan to recognize Palestine. The decision, citing security concerns, has sparked controversy amid ongoing tensions in Gaza and disputes over Palestinian statehood recognition.

The United States announced on Friday it won't permit Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to travel to New York next month for the United Nations General Assembly. The event will see several U.S. allies recognize Palestine as a state.

This move affects Abbas and 80 other Palestinians, with their visas either denied or revoked, targeting members of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority. Abbas's office expressed surprise at the decision, labeling it a breach of the U.N. 'headquarters agreement.'

While the U.S. is bound by the 1947 agreement to grant access to foreign diplomats, it can refuse visas for security, extremism, and foreign policy reasons. The State Department cited alleged failures by Palestinian entities in repudiating extremism.

(With inputs from agencies.)