The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is the global platform for all countries. So, no country can bar another speaking from its podium.
But the United States (US) at the on-going UNGA decided that the voice of the Palestinian State will not be heard. Only that of the State of Israel would be permitted. It therefore denied Palestinian Authority (PA), President Mahmoud Abbas an entry visa into the US, effectively barring a Head of State from attending UNGA.
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The US decided to illegally bar the Palestinian state from UNGA for having the nerve to take legal actions against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC). The Palestinian Case at these courts challenge the legality of Israel’s occupation of Gaza and the West Bank; its settlement policies under which Palestinian lands are stolen and given out to illegal Israeli settlers, and gross violations of international treaties and humanitarian law.
A second reason US gave is that the PA rather than abandon its citizens convicted by the opaque Israeli courts, continues to provide financial stipends to their families. To the US, this amounts to the PA glorifying or supporting terrorism.
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The ICC in investigating war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetuated by the Israeli regime against the Palestinian people, had on 21 November, 2024 issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the its former Minister of Defence, Yoav Gallant. So, essentially, the US is sitting on appeal against the ICC decision and is in a retaliatory mode against the Palestinians.
But the US action in denying President Abass and the Palestinian delegation visa to attend UNGA, is a gross violation of the UN-USA Headquarters Agreement signed on 26 June, 1947, and approved by UNGA on 31 October, 1947. The Agreement signed by then UN Secretary-General Trygve LIE and, former US Secretary of State George C Marshall, provides under Article IV Sections 11, 12, and 13 that regardless of bilateral relations, the US would issue visas to State delegations and UN representatives promptly and without charge.
It provides under Section 11 that: “The federal, state or local authorities of the United States shall not impose any impediments to transit to or from the headquarters district…” for these officials.
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Sections 12 and 13 further stated that: “The provisions of Section 11 shall be applicable irrespective of the relations existing between the Governments of the persons referred to in that section and the Government of the United States.” “Laws and regulations in force in the United States regarding the entry of aliens shall not be applied in such manner as to interfere with the privileges referred to in Section 11. When visas are required for persons referred to in that section, they shall be granted without charge and as promptly as possible.”
For UNGA, this was not the time to discuss the US violating the Agreement or, hear demands that the UN headquarters be moved to a more receptive country. What was important was to hear him. It was therefore proposed that Abass should be heard via video link.
But even this, irked the US which staked his reputation by urging UNGA not to accept this minimum compromise. US Deputy Ambassador to the UN Tammy Bruce argued that: “If the PA wants to be treated as a partner, it must stop subsidizing terror and stop using diplomatic theater as a substitute for serious governance.” The American representative added: “We will not relent on our insistence that the Palestinian Authority and the PLO [Palestine Liberation Organisation] completely and unequivocally renounce terrorism. They have not yet done so.”
The matter was put to vote and 152 countries voted for the resolution while only three countries voted for the US position. These were Paraguay, the US itself and its partner, Israel. Four abstained; Panama, Honduras, Peru and Colombia.
Thus, the world sat and listened to the Palestinian leader who described the Israeli war in the Palestine as genocide and urged humanity to act and, not fold its arms. He demanded that the Israeli attacks and military occupation of the Palestine be brought to an end. Abass posited that a permanent solution should be effected whereby the Israelis and Palestinians would live in their various countries with guaranteed security and, in peace.
In contrast to the treatment meted out to President Abass, US welcomed Prime Minister Netanyahu. But UNGA did not welcome him. When he began to speak, 77 Delegations walked out rather than listen to a man who has an international warrant of arrest hanging round his neck. He had no choice but to address a virtually empty hall.
But he is not a man capable of reading a simple situation. Rather than present his country’s case, he ranted how Israel and its allies have been eliminating people and destroying countries: “Half the Houthi leadership in Yemen – gone. Yahya Sinwar in Gaza – gone. Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon – gone. The Assad regime in Syria – gone. Those Militias in Iraq? Well, they’re still deterred. And their leaders, if they attack Israel, will also be gone. And for Iran’s top military commanders and its top nuclear scientists… Well, they’re gone too.”
When President Trump arrived the UN Headquarters on Tuesday, 22 September, it was like a theatre. He had banned the CNN from the White House and might have been oblivious of the fact that the UN is not US territory, so his ban had no effect there.
He told the news channel: “I’m surprised that CNN is here covering me. You should not be here covering me. You said you weren’t going to cover me” CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins replied: “The United Nations allowed us in, sir.” The response was clear; Trump did not call the shots in the UN.
Playing God, Trump told UNGA about his assumed choices on Iran: “Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before? Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic?…. Do I drive them into hell with no chance of survival and no hope of future greatness or generations?”
But Iran is no country to bully or, backdown. Its President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country will fight to its last breath: “The United States president described us as terrorists. We have been the victims of terrorism,” “Are we the sources of instability? We only seek to live independently,” “We are the ones who cause instability? Those who are committing terrorism and committing crimes, are they the protectors of peace and stability?”
On the side lines, the US and Iran held a three-hour meeting. Perhaps it is an admission that impunity and bullying will ultimately, not pay.
Owei Lakemfa, a former secretary general of African workers, is a human rights activist, journalist and author.
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