“U.S. opposition to this resolution should come as no surprise,” U.S. diplomat Jonathan Shrier said before the vote. “The Trump Administration has been clear: we must hold the PLO and Palestinian Authority accountable for not complying with their commitments under the Oslo Accords, some of them very basic, and for undermining the prospects for peace.”
Under a 1947 U.N. “headquarters agreement,” the U.S. is generally required to allow access for foreign diplomats to the U.N. in New York. However, Washington has said it can deny visas for security, extremism and foreign policy reasons.
Abbas will also be allowed to appear via video at a summit, opens new tabat the United Nations on Monday – convened by France and Saudi Arabia – that seeks to rally support for a two-state solution. Several countries are expected to formally recognize a Palestinian state at the meeting.
The 193-member General Assembly agreed on Friday – by consensus, without a vote – that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto ruler, could appear via video at Monday’s meeting.
