US Pressures Palestinian UN Envoy to Drop General Assembly Post Bid

The Trump administration has warned Palestinian diplomats that Washington could revisit visa sanctions if Palestinian UN envoy Riyad Mansour does not withdraw his candidacy for vice president of the UN General Assembly, according to an internal State Department cable seen by Reuters.

The cable, dated Wednesday, instructed US diplomats at the embassy in Jerusalem to tell Palestinian officials that Mansour’s bid “fuels tensions” and could undermine President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan.

“To be clear, we will hold the PA responsible if the Palestinian delegation does not withdraw its VPGA candidacy,” the cable said, referring to the Palestinian Authority.

The cable noted that in September 2025 the State Department waived visa sanctions for Palestinian officials assigned to the Palestinian mission to the UN in New York.

“It would be unfortunate to have to revisit any available options,” the cable said.

The Palestinian mission at the UN did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A State Department spokesperson said Washington takes its obligations under the UN Headquarters Agreement seriously, but declined to comment on specific visa matters.

Mansour had previously withdrawn his candidacy for president of the General Assembly following US lobbying in February, according to the cable. But US officials warned that if he is elected vice president, he could still preside over General Assembly sessions.

The cable said there is a risk that Palestinians could preside over sessions during the 81st UN General Assembly high-level week in September unless Mansour withdraws.

The General Assembly is scheduled to elect its next president and 16 vice presidents on June 2.

The Palestinian delegation, officially known at the UN as the State of Palestine, has observer status and is not a full member of the 193-member General Assembly. It does not have a vote, holding the same observer status as the Vatican.