The US has blocked Palestinian officials from attending the UN General Assembly, citing their push for unilateral statehood recognition opposed by Washington and Israel.
The United States has barred Palestinian officials from traveling to New York for next month’s UN General Assembly session, a move that breaks with its duty as host nation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused them of undermining peace efforts and pursuing “the unilateral recognition of a conjectural Palestinian state.”
The decision comes as France pushes for UN recognition of a Palestinian state, a step strongly opposed by Washington and its ally Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has consistently rejected a two-state solution, arguing recognition would reward “Hamas’s monstrous terrorism.”
The US has long supported Israel, and the ban underscores the Trump administration’s stance against Palestinian statehood efforts. The Israeli military launched an offensive in Gaza following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that killed about 1,200 people and led to 251 hostages being taken. The Hamas-run health ministry says more than 63,000 people have since been killed in Gaza.