US threatens to revoke the Palestinian UN ambassador's visa

A U.S. State Department cable instructs U.S. diplomats to pressure Palestinian officials to withdraw a bid by Palestinian ambassador Riyad Mansour for one of 21 vice president roles at the United Nations General Assembly. The cable warns that failure to withdraw could lead to consequences including visa revocation. It cites Mansour’s history of accusing Israel of genocide, says the bid fuels tension, and says it undermines President Trump’s peace plan for Gaza. The cable also states that a bully pulpit for Mansour would not improve Palestinian lives and would significantly damage U.S. relations with the Palestinian Authority. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’ office declined comment.

"A U.S. State Department cable issued Tuesday and obtained by NPR instructs U.S. diplomats in Jerusalem to pressure Palestinian officials this week to withdraw their bid for one of the 21 vice president roles at the U.N., or face possible consequences including visa revocation. The May 19 U.S. cable, marked sensitive but unclassified, says Palestinian ambassador Riyad Mansour "has a history of accusing Israel of genocide," and that his bid "fuels tension" and undermines President Trump's peace plan for Gaza."

""A bully pulpit for Mansour would not improve the lives of Palestinians and would significantly damage U.S. relations with the PA [Palestinian Authority]. Congress will take it extremely seriously," the cable says. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' office declined comment. "It would be unfortunate," the U.S. cable says in a threat to revoke visas Ahead of last year's U.N. General Assembly in New York, the Trump Administration made the rare move of denying U.S. visas to top Palestinian officials including President Abbas."

"But the U.S. did not revoke visas for the Palestinian delegation to the U.N. "In September 2025, the Department made the decision to waive visa sanctions and other inadmissibilities for Palestinian officials assigned to the PLO's UN Observer Mission in New York. It would be unfortunate to have to revisit any available options," the May 19 cable says."

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