Mahmoud Abbas Addresses UN via Video After U.S. Visa Ban

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 24, 2026, via a prerecorded video from Ramallah. The virtual address followed a decision by the United States to deny visas to Abbas and other senior officials for the second year in a row, a move 152 countries rejected in a September 17 UN resolution characterizing the ban as a violation of the Headquarters Agreement.

In his remarks, Abbas warned that Palestinians face one of the most dangerous periods in their history, accusing Israel of conducting a "genocidal war" in Gaza and engaging in "settler terrorism" in the West Bank. He urged the international community to prevent "another Nakba" and accused the Israeli government of withholding more than $6 billion in Palestinian funds. Abbas called for a two-state solution featuring a non-militarized, democratic state and argued that Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem must be unified under a single government.

While Abbas expressed support for President Donald Trump's 20-point peace plan, he warned that the transitional Board of Peace must not become a permanent arrangement. He urged the U.S. administration to return to dialogue and honor commitments to prevent the annexation of Palestinian territory. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the assembly in person, maintaining that no Palestinian state will be established under his leadership.