RAMALLAH, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Palestine on Friday expressed "deep regret and astonishment" at the U.S. decision not to grant visas to the Palestinian delegation for the upcoming UN General Assembly.
The Palestinian presidency "stressed that this decision stands in clear contradiction to international law and the UN Headquarters Agreement, particularly since the State of Palestine is an observer member of the United Nations," the Palestinian official news agency WAFA reported.
It "called on the U.S. administration to reconsider and reverse its decision, reaffirming Palestine's full commitment to international law, UN resolutions, and obligations toward peace," it said.
Also on Friday, Vice President of Palestine Hussein al-Sheikh called on the United States to "reconsider and reverse" its decision.
"This decision is against international law and the rules and laws of the headquarters," he said on social media platform X.
The U.S. Department of State on Friday said in a statement that it is "denying and revoking visas from members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian Authority (PA) ahead of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly."
"The Trump Administration has been clear: it is in our national security interests to hold the PLO and PA accountable for not complying with their commitments, and for undermining the prospects for peace," it said
The PA Mission to the UN will receive waivers per the UN Headquarters Agreement, it added.
Scheduled for September, the upcoming UN General Assembly is expected to witness growing international support for recognition of Palestine's official statehood. ■
