Erdogan Urges U.S. to Reverse Visa Ban on Palestinian Officials Ahead of UN Assembly

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on the United States to reconsider its decision to deny visas to members of the Palestinian Authority ahead of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly.

A U.S. official revealed on Saturday that Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas and 80 other officials would be barred from attending the meeting, where France is spearheading efforts to push for recognition of a Palestinian state.

The move, described as highly unusual, underscores the Trump administration’s alignment with Israel, which is engaged in conflict with Hamas in Gaza and strongly rejects the establishment of a Palestinian state. Israel has also sought to conflate the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority with Hamas, its rival faction ruling Gaza.

Speaking with Turkish journalists after attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in China, Erdogan condemned Washington’s decision, saying it contradicts the core principles of the UN.

“We believe that the decision should be revised as soon as possible,” Erdogan stressed.

The Turkish leader, a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause, has consistently accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government of committing “genocide” in Gaza.