UN General Assembly Permits Palestinian President to Deliver Address via Video

New york: The United Nations General Assembly has voted to allow Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to deliver his address at the upcoming annual gathering of world leaders via video. This decision comes after the United States declined to issue him a visa to travel to New York. According to Emirates News Agency, the resolution was passed with an overwhelming majority, receiving 145 votes in favor, five against, and six abstentions. The resolution allows Abbas and other senior Palestinian officials to participate in UN meetings and conferences remotely over the next year if they are unable to travel to the United States. The resolution specifies that "The State of Palestine may submit a pre-recorded statement of its President, which will be played in the General Assembly Hall." This year's General Assembly speeches are set to commence on Tuesday, following a leaders' summit on Monday. The decision by the UN comes in response to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's recent action to rescind the visas of Pres ident Mahmoud Abbas and 80 other Palestinian officials, citing national security concerns.