Overview

• Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced visa denials and revocations targeting members of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority ahead of the September U.N. General Assembly.
• The Palestinian mission to the U.N. receives an exemption under the U.N. Headquarters Agreement, yet U.S. officials have not clarified whether President Mahmoud Abbas may enter.
• Palestinian authorities protested through official statements, calling the decision contrary to international law and urging Washington to reverse it.
• U.N. officials said they will consult the U.S. to resolve access questions, with Secretary‑General António Guterres favoring Palestinian representation and his spokesman stressing the need for all states and observers to attend.
• Israel’s foreign minister publicly thanked the U.S. for the step, as the decision lands just before expected recognition moves for a Palestinian state by countries such as France, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada; some reports say roughly 80 officials could be affected.