US rejects visa for six Palestinians who were to attend UN forum

PNN/ New York/

The Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, on Wednesday expressed deep regrets over the US authorities refusal to grant visa to six Palestinian experts to take part in a high-level political forum at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

“Members of the Palestinian delegation were unable to participate in the meeting due to the refusal of the US authorities to grant them a visa,” Mansour said at the start of the meeting.

“It is very unfortunate that the US authorities refuse to grant these Palestinians a visa to attend an official meeting at United Nations Headquarters.”

Mansour said that he will deliver a speech on behalf of the six Palestinians the six at the high-level political forum, which began 9 July and ends on today, Wednesday.

In turn, UN sources said that the refusal of the delegates’ visas was due to lack of diplomatic character, since Palestine is an observer and not a full member of the United Nations.”

The current high-level political forum is an annual gathering of Governments and civil society to consult and exchange views on the United Nations sustainable development goals and ways to develop strategies to accelerate their achievement.