Abbas Addresses UN by Video After U.S. Visa Denial, Urges States to Stop Arming Israel (Updated)

Original report

The European Union said it regretted the U.S. decision to extend entry-visa denials for members of the Palestinian delegation for a second consecutive year ahead of the 81st U.N. General Assembly in New York. It urged Washington to reconsider, citing U.S. host-state obligations and the U.N. headquarters agreement. The State Department said the PLO and Palestinian Authority had failed to meet commitments under two U.S. laws, citing international legal initiatives, unilateral recognition efforts, prisoner stipends and glorification of terrorism. Washington preserved the existing waiver for personnel assigned to the PLO Observer Mission at the U.N.