This is a thread specifically for the war, not a general megathread (use the pinned /c/genzedong thread for that).
Please keep related news in this thread rather than making separate posts. Remember to include sources and avoid spreading rumours.
This is a thread specifically for the war, not a general megathread (use the pinned /c/genzedong thread for that).
Please keep related news in this thread rather than making separate posts. Remember to include sources and avoid spreading rumours.
❗️US threatens to revoke Palestinian UN delegation visas over ambassador’s bid for UN General Assembly vice presidency
NPR reported on 20 May that a sensitive but unclassified US State Department cable instructed US officials in Jerusalem to pressure Palestinian officials into withdrawing Palestinian UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour’s candidacy for one of the 21 vice president positions at the UN General Assembly, warning of possible consequences including visa revocations for the Palestinian delegation to the United Nations.
The cable, dated 19 May and obtained by NPR, said Mansour “has a history of accusing Israel of genocide,” and claimed his candidacy “fuels tension” and undermines President Donald Trump’s so-called Gaza peace plan.
The cable warned that “Congress will take it extremely seriously” and stated that “it would be unfortunate to have to revisit any available options,” referring to a previous 2025 decision by the Trump administration to waive visa sanctions on Palestinian officials assigned to the PLO’s UN Observer Mission in New York.
NPR noted that the threat is considered unprecedented, particularly given the 1947 UN Headquarters Agreement, which generally bars the US from blocking UN officials from entering New York.
Former senior State Department official Hady Amr told NPR the move was “extremely rare” outside cases such as espionage or election interference, calling it “counterproductive” because diplomats are needed “to work out problems between countries.”
The State Department told NPR it takes its obligations under the UN Headquarters Agreement seriously but declined to comment on specific visa matters.
The report also noted that Mansour had already withdrawn a previous bid for president of the UN General Assembly earlier this year after US lobbying efforts.
Elections for vice president positions are scheduled for 2 June, with Palestinian representatives remaining on the Asia-Pacific candidate list alongside countries including Afghanistan, Iraq, and Mongolia.
The cable reportedly warned of a “worst-case scenario” in which a Palestinian vice president could preside over high-profile UN sessions.
NPR highlighted Mansour’s increasingly prominent role at the UN, including emotional speeches condemning the killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza and repeated calls for a ceasefire.
https://t.me/thecradlemedia/60032