US blocks Palestinian leader from UN meeting in New York for second year in row
The US has denied Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas an entry visa to attend the UN General Assembly in New York next week, two Palestinian sources have told the BBC.
It comes after the US said it was extending visa sanctions against Palestinian officials, without naming Abbas, accusing them of failing to live up to peace process commitments.
Sanctions were initially imposed in August last year, when 80 Palestinian officials were denied visas for the annual UN meeting in New York.
In its statement, the US accused the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) of "glorifying terrorism" and attempting to "internationalize" the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The Palestinian Authority (PA) was established by the Oslo peace accords. The Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) was recognised after the same process as the official representative of the Palestinian people in return for it recognising Israel and renouncing violence.
In a statement on Thursday, the Palestinian foreign ministry called the visa sanctions "an unjustified measure that runs counter to efforts to rebuild trust, develop Palestinian-US relations, and create the necessary political climate for implementing the two-state solution and achieving peace and stability".
Full article at : US blocks Palestinian leader from UN meeting in New York for second year in row - BBC News
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