Brazilianโ President Lula da Silvaโข Criticizes U.S. Visa Revocations for Palestinians Ahead of UN Generalโ Assembly
New Yorkโข – โBrazilianโค President Luizโ Inรกcio lula da Silva sharply criticized the united States’ decision to revoke visas for Palestinian Presidentโ Mahmoud Abbas and other Palestinian officials priorโค to the UN General Assembly, callingโ it an act of “colonizing” the โPalestinian delegation. Lula’s remarks, delivered during a UN session, โขunderscored growing international concern over the conditions in Gazaโ and the obstacles faced by Palestinian representation on the world stage.
Lula stated that โhunger is being “used โas aโข weapon ofโฃ war” in Gaza and โขthatโ forced population transfer is going unpunished. He lamented the U.S. action, which prevented Abbas from attending the General Assembly where several U.S. allies were โคexpected to โrecognize the Palestinian state. “It was regrettable โคthat President Mahmoud Abbas was prevented by the host country by ‘occupying’ (colonizing) the Palestinian bench at this historical moment,” Lula explained, referencing a resolution โsupported by โover 150 UN members that was vetoed.
Theโ U.S. government, under the Trump governance, justified โthe visa revocations by stating that Palestinian actions had โ”damaged theโ prospects of peace.”โ Accordingโ to Reuters and Al Arabiya,the decision,announced on August 29th,affected โapproximately 80 Palestinian Liberation Institution (PLO) and Palestinian Authority officials based in the West Bank. A U.S. โState Department official, speaking anonymously, confirmed the scope of the visa cancellations.
Despite the travel restrictions, the UN General Assembly permitted Abbas to deliver a pre-recorded statement remotely.โ The UN stated that a previouslyโข recorded address from the Palestinian President โฃwould be โplayed โin the General Assembly hall,as reported by AFP on September 19th. The move allows for Palestinian representationโฃ despite the โขU.S. visa denials,โ though it falls short of in-person participation.
