US Visa Barrier to Palestinian Leader Abbas and Netanyahu's UN Visit Rekindled Double Standard Discussions

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for whom the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for war crimes committed in Gaza, was preparing for the United Nations (UN) General Assembly podium in New York; Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whose people are facing genocide, cannot go to New York due to Washington's visa barrier.

The US administration did not grant a visa to Palestinian President Abbas, who was planning to attend the UN General Assembly, this year as well as last year. For this reason, Abbas is expected to address the UN General Assembly via video conference this year as well.

In accordance with the UN Headquarters Agreement dated 1947, the USA should not interfere with the entry of member and observer state representatives into New York.

However, the USA is violating its obligations arising from the UN Central Agreement by not granting visas to Abbas and his delegation for 2 years.

The Washington administration, as in the past during the reign of Palestine Liberation Organization leader Yasir Arafat, turns the host country status into a tool of political pressure and imposes heavy restrictions on the visas, transit permits and presence of Palestinian delegations.

The USA did not grant a visa to the then Palestinian leader Arafat, who wanted to address the UN General Assembly in 1988.

While a leader whom the ICC accuses of "using hunger as a method of war and deliberately targeting civilians" finds a place at the UN podium, the host USA is denying this opportunity to the legitimate Palestinian leader whose people were massacred.

This decision of the USA came at a time when the violence against Palestinians by Israelis and soldiers who have seized Palestinian lands in the occupied West Bank in recent months has escalated.

Israel, which has occupied the West Bank since 1967, has escalated the wave of violence since October 2023 while increasing its illegal seizures.

NETANYAHU, FOR WHICH THE ICC HAS RECEIVED A DETERMINATION OF ARREST, WILL ADDRESS THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on November 21, 2024, on the grounds of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the Gaza Strip. The arrest warrant, issued upon the application of the ICC Chief Prosecutor's Office, constitutes a binding obligation for more than 120 countries that are party to the Rome Statute.

In addition, the USA, which hosts the UN Headquarters, hosts a suspect sought by international judiciary in New York, citing the fact that it is not a party to the ICC.

In this context, Netanyahu will address the UN General Assembly this year, just like last year.

PROTESTS ARE EXPECTED WHILE NETANYAHU SPEAK

At the UN General Assembly meeting in September 2025, dozens of diplomats walked out as Netanyahu took the podium. For this reason, most of the UN General Assembly hall remained empty during the speech.

Outside, activists opposing Israel's attacks in Gaza gathered in Times Square to protest Netanyahu and his country.

This year, too, during the summit, many countries are expected to leave the hall when Netanyahu gives a speech, implement a diplomatic boycott, and mass protests are expected to take place on the streets of New York.

"DOUBLE STANDARD"

Meanwhile, the double standards in New York raise questions about the "rules-based international order" discourse frequently expressed by the Western world.

Western capitals and the USA, which operates all kinds of mechanisms, from intelligence sharing to putting pressure on third countries to arrest, in order to support the ICC decision issued against Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Ukraine crisis, are criticized for not recognizing ICC decisions when it comes to Netanyahu.

Non-governmental organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have called for the arrest of ICC defendant Netanyahu many times.

WESTERN COUNTRIES DO NOT IMPLEMENT ICC DECISIONS

However, ICC decisions are not responded to on the ground due to the double standards of Western countries that are parties to the Rome Statute.

During his trips to the USA, Netanyahu used the airspaces of France, Italy and Greece, which are parties to the Rome Statute, without any problems, despite the court decision; these countries have not fulfilled their cooperation obligations to the ICC.

Netanyahu's visit to Hungary in April 2025 took place with a special "guarantee of not being caught" given by the then Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government.

NETANYAHU'S PLANE WILL LAND IN NEW JERSEY

Meanwhile, it was reported that Netanyahu's plane will land at Newark Airport in New Jersey, not in New York, where Zohran Mamdani is the mayor, during his trip to the USA for the UN General Assembly.

Regarding whether they will implement the ICC's arrest decision if Netanyahu comes to New York for the UN General Assembly meetings in September, Mamdani said, "We will act within the framework of the powers granted to us by New York city laws, but we will not write our own laws for this purpose." He used the expression.

New York Mayor said, "I think Netanyahu's place is in The Hague. He is a war criminal accused by the ICC." He also made an assessment.