Friday, September 24, 2026 - Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the United Nations General Assembly by prerecorded video on Thursday after the United States denied him and other senior Palestinian officials visas to attend the gathering in person for a second consecutive year.
Speaking from his office in Ramallah, Abbas said Palestinians were facing an extremely dangerous period and called for international action over the war in Gaza and the situation in the West Bank. The video was recorded on Wednesday and played to world leaders during the 81st session of the General Assembly.
In his address, Abbas called for a two-state solution, saying Palestinians should have a non-militarized state alongside Israel with security and peace for both sides. He also rejected terrorism and antisemitism and said the Palestinian Authority had undertaken reforms and remained committed to international law.
Abbas criticized the U.S. decision to deny visas, while Washington has said the restrictions are connected to its national-security and legal concerns regarding Palestinian Authority actions involving international organizations.
The absence of Abbas from the UN chamber comes as Gaza and the West Bank remain central issues at this year's General Assembly. Abbas urged governments to take concrete action to protect Palestinians and opposed displacement, while maintaining that Gaza, the West Bank and east Jerusalem should ultimately form part of a unified Palestinian political entity.
His prerecorded appearance ensured that his message reached the Assembly despite the visa dispute, keeping the Palestinian leadership's demands for statehood, security and international action firmly before world leaders.
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