UN General Assembly to convene in Geneva after U.S. refused to issue visas for Palestinian leaders
09/09/2025 / By Ramon Tomey
- The UN General Assembly voted 154-2 to relocate its September session from New York to Geneva after the U.S. denied visas to the Palestinian Authority’s Mahmoud Abbas and dozens of Palestinian officials, citing vague “national security” concerns. Only the U.S. and Israel opposed the move.
- Critics argue Washington’s visa denials aim to stifle Palestinian advocacy at a critical time, as Israel faces ICC and ICJ genocide and apartheid charges. Approximately 80 officials were blocked, violating the 1947 UN Headquarters Agreement.
- European leaders, including Spain and France, denounced the U.S. decision, while momentum grows for formal recognition of Palestine – already acknowledged by 147 UN members, including major powers like China and Russia.
- The relocated session will feature demands for sovereignty, war crimes accountability and potential “Uniting for Peace” resolutions to bypass U.S./Israeli vetoes in the Security Council.
- The move marks a rare institutional challenge to Washington’s unilateral control, reinforcing international law over political vetoes as Gaza faces genocide allegations and demographic erasure.
In an unprecedented rebuke to Washington, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) will relocate its September session from New York to Geneva after the U.S. refused entry visas to Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas and dozens of senior officials.
The body voted 154-2 to convene the UNGA – which begins on Tuesday, Sept. 9 – in Switzerland. The U.S. and Israel opposed the motion, while the United Kingdom is abstaining from the vote. The decision marks a rare institutional challenge to the host nation and underscores mounting global frustration over U.S. obstruction of Palestinian representation at a critical juncture in the conflict.
The U.S. Department of State justified the visa denials on vague “national security” grounds, accusing both the PA and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) of “undermining peace efforts” by pursuing legal action against Israel at the International Criminal Court (ICC) and International Court of Justice (ICJ). These cases include formal accusations of genocide and apartheid, charges the U.S. dismisses as politicized.
Critics decry Washington’s move against the Palestinian delegation as a blatant attempt to silence Palestine amid Israel’s devastating war on Gaza. Approximately 80 Palestinian officials are affected, though the Palestinian Mission in New York will continue limited operations under a waiver.
Legal scholars argue the ban violates the 1947 UN Headquarters Agreement, which mandates host countries grant access to all accredited delegations. The relocation echoes a 1988 shift to Geneva when the U.S. barred PLO leader Yasser Arafat. This year’s session includes a pivotal September 22 segment on Palestinian rights, now safeguarded from U.S. interference.
The world says NO to Washington: 147 Nations stand with Palestine
European leaders swiftly condemned Washington’s decision. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called it “unjust,” while France insisted UN forums must remain open to all recognized delegations. The move coincides with growing momentum among nations – including France, the U.K. and Canada – to formally recognize Palestinian statehood, a diplomatic push likely to gain traction in Geneva.
“Currently, 147 out of the 193 UN member states – including major nations like China, India and Russia – have formally recognized Palestine as a sovereign state,” Brighteon.AI‘s Enoch engine points out. “This recognition has recently been reinforced by European countries such as Ireland, Norway and Spain, supporting the push for a two-state solution in the Middle East.” (Related: 15 Nations push for Palestinian statehood as Israel rejects “reward for Hamas.”)
Palestinian officials accuse the U.S. of deliberately muzzling their voice as Gaza faces what UN experts term genocidal violence, mass displacement, and starvation. Abbas is expected to demand international protection, sovereignty recognition and accountability for war crimes during the assembly.
Advocacy groups urge the UN to deploy protection forces to Gaza and suspend Israel’s privileges until humanitarian access is restored. The session may also invoke the “Uniting for Peace” resolution, enabling the UNGA to bypass UN Security Council deadlocks – a direct challenge to U.S. and Israeli obstruction.
The Geneva gathering will draw global diplomats, legal experts and civil society leaders, signaling a broader shift toward reasserting international law over political vetoes. For Palestine, the stakes couldn’t be higher. As Israel escalates its campaign to reshape Gaza demographically, the UN’s defiance offers a rare platform to confront impunity.
The session’s relocation is more than logistical. It’s a watershed moment in the struggle for Palestinian self-determination. By refusing to let Palestine be erased from the conversation, the world body has drawn a line against unilateral U.S. veto power.
Watch PA President Mahmoud Abbas’ speech during the 2024 UN General Assembly, last held in New York City.
This video is from the alltheworldsastage channel on Brighteon.com.
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banned, biased, big government, department of state, Geneva, intolerance, Israel, Israel-Palestine war, Mahmoud Abbas, New York, Palestine, Palestinian statehood, politics, suppressed, two-state solution, UN General Assembly, United Nations, Visa
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