Updated

For the second consecutive year, the US State Department has blocked Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas from attending the UN General Assembly in person, citing accusations that Palestinian officials have failed to live up to peace process commitments. Washington and Israel also opposed a UN resolution allowing Abbas to address the gathering virtually, though the resolution passed overwhelmingly. In a notable contrast, the US said it would allow Iran's president to attend UNGA in person, while barring Iran's delegation from buying luxury goods under sanctions. The move underscores continued US-Israeli alignment against granting the Palestinian leadership a diplomatic platform at the UN, even as broader efforts to plan for postwar Gaza governance proceed on the sidelines of the same gathering.