Arab-Islamic ministerial committee slams US for revoking visas of Palestinian delegation to UN meetings

By Tarek Chouiref

ISTANBUL (AA) - An Arab Islamic ministerial committee on Gaza on Saturday regretted a US decision to refuse entry visas to a Palestinian delegation seeking to attend the United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York next month.

In a statement, the committee called on the US administration to reconsider and reverse the decision, stressing the importance of respecting obligations under the UN Headquarters Agreement, providing space for dialogue and diplomacy.

The committee emphasized the need to support the Palestinian Authority and President Mahmoud Abbas in advancing his government’s reform program and the commitments he reaffirmed to world leaders in support of peace and in confronting violence, extremism and terrorism amid the current circumstances of unprecedented escalation against the Palestinian people.

It warned that weakening the Palestinian Authority would undermine peace efforts and fuel further conflict.

On Friday, the US State Department said it had revoked visas for members of the umbrella Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Palestinian Authority ahead of the UN General Assembly meetings accusing them of failing to repudiate “terrorism,” inciting violence, and pursuing “lawfare campaigns” at the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice. The move coincided with announcements by France, the UK, Canada and Australia of their intention to recognize a Palestinian state during the assembly meetings.

UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters the UN learned of the US decision through media reports and would follow up with Washington, emphasizing that all delegates entitled to attend the assembly should be able to travel freely.

At a joint Arab-Islamic extraordinary summit in Riyadh on Nov. 11, 2023, Türkiye, Palestine, Indonesia, Qatar, Egypt, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and the secretaries-general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League were tasked with undertaking international initiatives to achieve lasting and comprehensive peace in Gaza. Subsequently, Bahrain and the UAE joined efforts.

Also known as the Gaza Contact Group, the committee has carried out initiatives in capitals including London, Paris, New York, Washington, Ottawa, Brussels, Oslo, Madrid, Cairo, and Amman.