UN General Assembly authorizes Abbas to deliver speech virtually after US ban

The United Nations General Assembly has voted overwhelmingly to pass a resolution allowing Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to deliver his speech virtually at next week’s gathering of world leaders after the US banned him from entering the country to prevent him from attending the New York confab.

The resolution — adopted in a 145 to 5 vote with six countries abstaining — expresses concern and regret over the US decision to ban 80 top PA officials and suggests that the US may have violated the UN Headquarters Agreement — a charge Washington denies.

The Trump administration took the step in protest of Western countries’ plans to recognize a Palestinian state at a conference at the UN General Assembly on Monday, which Abbas was hoping to attend.

The #UNGA resolution allowing the President of the State of #Palestine to deliver his General Debate speech via a pre-recorded statement during High Level Week has been adopted with a huge majority of #UN member states voting in favor. https://t.co/R58cHZXn8w pic.twitter.com/qTyLLnDkti

— Rami Ayari (@Raminho) September 19, 2025

The resolution states that Abbas will be allowed to send a pre-recorded video statement to that conference, along with any sessions of the UN General Assembly’s subsequent high-level week during which leaders of countries around the world traditionally address the body.

Leaders have been allowed to address the UN General Assembly virtually in the past several years, particularly during and in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the general rule is that speeches are to be given in person, which is apparently why the General Assembly deemed it necessary to adopt a resolution making an exception for Abbas to speak virtually this year.

The US and Israel were among the five countries that voted against the resolution.