Washington prevents Abbas and Palestinian Authority leaders from entering its territory.. and the latter condemns.

The Palestinian presidency expressed its deep regret and astonishment on Friday regarding the U.S. State Department's decision to deny entry visas to the Palestinian delegation participating in the upcoming United Nations General Assembly meetings scheduled for September. The presidency affirmed that this decision constitutes a blatant violation of international law.

In a press statement, the presidency noted that the State of Palestine holds the status of "observer member" in the United Nations, which grants its delegations the right to participate in all its activities and meetings. It called on the U.S. administration to reconsider and retract its decision, warning that preventing the Palestinian delegation from participating harms the standing of the United Nations.

The Palestinian presidency also reaffirmed its commitment to international law and international legitimacy resolutions, indicating that President Mahmoud Abbas has informed world leaders, including the U.S. president, of Palestine's steadfast position regarding achieving just and comprehensive peace.

In the same context, the U.S. State Department announced the rejection and cancellation of entry visas for several members of the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization, which may prevent President Mahmoud Abbas from participating in the United Nations General Assembly meetings next month.

The Israeli channel "Kan" reported that the U.S. government will prevent the entry of the President of the Palestinian Authority, noting that the decision came in response to what it described as "the Palestinian Authority's attempts to bypass negotiations" by resorting to international legal avenues.

The U.S. State Department clarified that these moves have complicated efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza and raised concerns about Hamas's stance on the release of detainees.

The Deputy Spokesperson for the U.S. State Department also indicated that the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization would not be reliable partners for peace unless they renounce terrorism and cease their pursuit of a unilateral Palestinian state.

The U.S. decision comes at a sensitive time, as the United Nations General Assembly is set to convene soon, where the Palestinian presidency has traditionally delivered a speech at the annual opening session.