US threatens to revoke the Palestinian UN ambassador's visa

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. Middle East US threatens to revoke the Palestinian UN ambassador's visa May 20, 20262:58 PM ET Daniel Estrin Palestinian Ambassador to the United Nations Riyad Mansour pats his heart during the Kuwait Crown Prince's address at the High-Level Security Council meeting on Palestinians and Israel during the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Sept. 23, 2025 Angelina Katsanis/AP hide caption toggle caption Angelina Katsanis/AP TEL AVIV — The U. is threatening to revoke the visas of the Palestinian delegation to the United Nations unless the Palestinian ambassador to the U.

withdraws his run for vice president of the General Assembly. State Department cable issued Tuesday and obtained by NPR instructs U. diplomats in Jerusalem to pressure Palestinian officials this week to withdraw their bid for one of the 21 vice president roles at the U.

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, or face possible consequences including visa revocation. cable, marked sensitive but unclassified, says Palestinian ambassador Riyad Mansour "has a history of accusing Israel of genocide," and that his bid "fuels tension" and undermines President Trump's peace plan for Gaza. Sponsor Message "A bully pulpit for Mansour would not improve the lives of Palestinians and would significantly damage U.

relations with the PA . Congress will take it extremely seriously," the cable says. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' office declined comment.

"It would be unfortunate," the U. cable says in a threat to revoke visas Ahead of last year's U. General Assembly in New York, the Trump Administration made the rare move of denying U.

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visas to top Palestinian officials including President Abbas. did not revoke visas for the Palestinian delegation to the U. "In September 2025, the Department made the decision to waive visa sanctions and other inadmissibilities for Palestinian officials assigned to the PLO's UN Observer Mission in New York.

It would be unfortunate to have to revisit any available options," the May 19 cable says. diplomat calls visa revocation "counterproductive" For decades, the U. under both Democratic and Republican administrations has opposed Palestinian attempts to gain full membership at the U.

and international bodies, arguing they were unilateral moves that undermined peace efforts with Israel. threat to revoke Palestinian diplomats' visas at the U. Sponsor Message Hady Amr, who served as a senior U.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.