The EU urges Washington to reconsider the visa ban on Abbas and Palestinian officials

SadaNews - On Saturday, the European Union urged the United States to "reconsider" its decision to refuse visas to Palestinian officials intending to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September.

EU foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, stated in Copenhagen after a meeting of the foreign ministers of the bloc "We all urgently request that this decision be reconsidered, based on international law".

Washington announced this decision on Friday evening, just a few weeks before the General Assembly, where France and several other countries plan to recognize the State of Palestine.

The U.S. State Department said it decided to "revoke and deny" visas "to members of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority" prior to the UN General Assembly.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barot also condemned the decision, stating in Copenhagen that "the UN headquarters is a place of neutrality (...) dedicated to peace".

Barot emphasized that "the UN General Assembly should not impose any restrictions on access".

His Luxembourg counterpart, Xavier Bettel, said "We must be able to discuss matters together. We cannot be held hostage", suggesting a special session of the UN General Assembly in Geneva to ensure Palestinian attendance.

This unusual decision by Washington brings the administration of President Donald Trump closer to the Israeli government, which vehemently opposes the idea of a Palestinian state.

Condemning the refusal to grant visas is one of the few issues that received unanimous support from the 27 EU leaders in Copenhagen on Saturday, while they have faced difficulties for months in agreeing on sanctions against Israel due to the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza.