The Media Line: UN Palestine Talks Resume in Shadow of U.S. Visa Ban 

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UN Palestine Talks Resume in Shadow of U.S. Visa Ban 

Giorgia Valente | The Media Line  

Diplomats are preparing for the resumption of a high-level United Nations conference on the two-state solution later this month, even as Palestinian officials face restrictions on attending. The United States has suspended almost all visas for holders of Palestinian Authority (PA) passports, including President Mahmoud Abbas, creating friction just weeks before the gathering is scheduled to open in New York. 

The meeting, set for September 22 and co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, aims to advance discussion on four main issues: reform of the Palestinian Authority, release of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza, reconstruction of the enclave, and a political framework for an eventual two-state arrangement. Supporters argue that the process provides a structured diplomatic channel after months of conflict, while Israel and the U.S. caution that steps such as recognition of Palestine could complicate rather than facilitate negotiations. 

The American visa freeze has added another layer of contention. Critics say the move contradicts U.S. obligations as host country of the UN under the Headquarters Agreement, which is meant to guarantee access for member states and observers. The State Department maintains the decision is rooted in security concerns. 

Jeremy Issacharoff, Israel’s former ambassador to Germany and former Vice Director General of the Foreign Ministry, warned that recent U.S. steps could undermine rather than reinforce diplomacy. 

“Freezing Palestinian passports, even for Abbas, sends a signal that may delegitimize the PA just when it should be strengthened. If America is seen as siding unconditionally with Israel, it risks jeopardizing diplomacy by leaving no credible Palestinian partner in the eyes of their own people. This could favor political stances and hardliners instead of encouraging dialogue.”, he said to The Media Line. 

He expressed similar concerns about the recognition of Palestine at the UN. 

“It’s going to strengthen right-wing ministers in the Israeli government who will push: if there is recognition of a Palestinian state, then we need to annex the West Bank territories. I am against that… It is not appropriate to move in that direction while you are trying to have a political process.”, he said. 

According to Issacharoff, Washington’s own approach has lacked clarity. 

“There has been a back and forth with the United States—let’s find a deal, let’s not find a deal—giving the green light to Israel to continue the war, then pressuring for an end of the conflict as soon as possible. It’s confusing. The U.S. must weigh everything they do against whether it contributes to three things: ending the war, freeing the hostages, and opening a political process.”, he explained. 

Issacharoff also reflected on the stance of Arab Gulf countries, which he described as cautious but significant. 

“The Gulf position is complex. Countries like Saudi Arabia and the Emirates want to support the Palestinians, but at the same time they are looking at their own strategic relationships with the United States and Israel. Their approach ahead of the UN is cautious—they don’t want to lose credibility in Washington or give the impression that they are abandoning normalization, but they also need to show leadership in supporting a two-state outcome.”, he noted. 

Ultimately, Issacharoff returned to the issue that overshadows all others: the hostages. 

“My basic starting point is that this war should end, and everything must be done to release the 48 remaining hostages… We are not in a post-trauma; we are still living it… The release of the hostages would be the major game changer. Without it, nothing else moves forward.”, he said. 

For him, Hamas cannot be engaged politically, and the Palestinian Authority, despite its flaws, remains the only viable option. 

“The best way to defeat Hamas is to create an alternative to Hamas, and to create a political dialogue with a responsible Palestinian Authority… If there is no political solution between Israel and the Palestinians, then Hamas has ultimately achieved what it wanted.”, he added. 

From the Palestinian side, the American visa freeze has been described as both politically damaging and legally unjustified. Osama Kawasmi, a member of Fatah’s Revolutionary Council and the PLO Political Committee, said the measure undermines Palestinian participation at the UN. 

“The decision to deny access to the United States and freeze visas was… against international law. As a UN observer, we have the right to attend, participate and speak… The PLO and President Abbas are fully committed to international law and the two-state solution.”, he said to The Media Line. 

Kawasmi pointed to ongoing coordination with Arab and European capitals in preparation for the conference. 

“We highly appreciate the efforts exerted by Saudi Arabia… the Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey… and we are in continuous contact with them, as well as with France, on a daily basis. We are one team with one goal only: the recognition of a Palestinian state on the 1967 lines and push for a two-state solution.”, he noted. 

He said that excluding the PA will not prevent Palestinian positions from being represented internationally. 

“Maybe the American administration thinks this is the way to prevent our voice from reaching the world. But this is not correct at all and shows only a biased approach. The Palestinian cause is in every single home, because of what is happening in Gaza and the West Bank. If we are absent physically, our allies will still carry our voice.”, he added. 

On recognition, Kawasmi framed the issue as both a matter of principle and a tool of political leverage. 

“149 countries already recognize Palestine. France, Britain, Spain and Scandinavian states will encourage others. This will put pressure on the United States in the future and we are hopeful. Even American public opinion is changing—recent polls show a majority supporting recognition. Israel cannot remain forever above international law.”, he pointed out.  

He referred to statements by Israeli ministers as evidence of the urgency of recognition. 

“Smotrich says openly from the river to the sea, only for Jews. Ben Gvir says the same. Netanyahu encourages it. They want to expel Palestinians, strangle our economy, and support settlers who attack us daily. But this will not succeed. All settlements are illegal, and one day Israel will withdraw from this land.”, he added. 

Kawasmi acknowledged, however, that recognition alone does not resolve the practical challenges, particularly regarding Gaza. 

“Recognition empowers us internationally, but the real challenge is implementation. Gaza is destroyed, settlements are expanding, and Netanyahu says the PA will never control Gaza. But Gaza and the West Bank must be reunited under the Palestinian Authority. This is the only normal and legal path.”, he said. 

He described the sequence of steps he sees as necessary for stabilization. 

“The first step is ceasefire in Gaza. Then humanitarian aid must enter without control—the people are starving, living in tents, without schools. Then the PA will be backed with Arab and international support. Finally, we need a new political path. Without it, we will keep repeating the same circle of war and bloodshed.”, he said.  

Kawasmi concluded with an appeal framed in terms of rights rather than politics. 

“Believe me, we deserve freedom. We are good people. Our blood is like anyone else’s blood. We want to live free without occupation or oppression. Enough is enough.”, he concluded. 

Issacharoff concluded by pointing out that both sides are traumatized, and this became an obstacle for mutual trust. 

“Let’s face it, when I speak to Israelis about the two-state solution, and they see the hostage videos, it is not an easy sell. They are traumatized. The Palestinians are traumatized for what is happening in Gaza. And when you have two peoples so traumatized, rational solutions do not emerge easily. That is why the release of the hostages is the critical game changer to open a path forward and end finally this war.”, he concluded. 

The two perspectives highlight the distance between Israeli and Palestinian positions ahead of the September 22 conference. For Israelis, the release of hostages is the unavoidable starting point and for some the latter’s recognition is even premature. For Palestinians, exclusion from the U.S. has reinforced their reliance on Arab and European allies, while international recognition remains central for them to feel seen on the global stage. 

Whether the UN process can bridge this gap remains uncertain. Gaza’s devastation, divisions in the West Bank, and polarized politics on both sides pose serious obstacles. At the same time, the backing of key international players suggests that the diplomatic track will continue, even if outcomes remain unclear.