Disquiet has surrounded the board since the November security council vote, with many traditional Western allies wary of the US administration's apparent wider ambitions, which some have viewed as an attempt to rival the United Nations in a Trump-dominated format. Others, including countries that have already signed on as members, have raised concerns about the board's fitness to effect meaningful change in Gaza.
The US denial of visas for Palestinian officials who were to attend the UN General Assembly is yet another move to silence Palestinians. As world leaders are preparing to gather in New York for the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September, one nation will not have any representatives: the Palestinian people. That is because the United States Department of State has decided to deny visas to Palestinian officials seeking to attend the UNGA session.
