Preventing President Mahmoud Abbas from attending the UN General Assembly in New York “proved to be a failure", as the Palestinian issue featured prominently in speeches by Arab and international delegations, a Palestinian official said.
In a statement cited by Palestinian news agency WAFA on Wednesday, Palestinian presidency spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh said attempts to prevent the Palestinian delegation from participating in the UN General Assembly and delivering its speech had failed to sideline the Palestinian cause.
For the second consecutive year, the US refused to grant Abbas and Palestinian officials visas to attend the UN General Assembly meetings, he said.
That forced Abbas to address the session via pre-recorded video on Thursday.
On the first day of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York, several leaders slammed Israeli actions in Palestine.
Condemnation of Israeli violence in the occupied West Bank and Gaza featured prominently in speeches of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Jordan’s King Abdullah II.
Under the UN Headquarters Agreement signed between the organisation and Washington in 1947, the US, as the host country, is committed to facilitating access by representatives of states and entities participating in UN meetings to its New York headquarters.
On September 17, the UN General Assembly approved allowing Abbas to participate via a recorded speech after Washington refused to grant him an entry visa.
“The voice of the Palestinian people has become strongly present on all continents of the world,” Abu Rudeineh said, adding that it is enshrined in UN resolutions and the positions of the majority of its member states.
He affirmed that Palestine will continue to participate in the UN General Assembly and all international forums despite restrictions imposed on its participation, according to the statement.
Palestine has held nonmember observer state status at the UN since 2012.
Of the 193 UN member states, a majority recognise the State of Palestine, while its efforts to obtain full membership continue to face a lack of UN Security Council approval.
