The United States has announced a visa ban targeting Palestinian officials, including Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, preventing them from attending the United Nations General Assembly next month. According to a State Department official, the ban will affect Abbas and 80 other officials from the Palestinian Authority. The move follows a decision made in July to deny visas to Palestinian officials over alleged violations of United States law, specifically regarding adherence to agreements and anti-terror commitments. The United States cited actions by the Palestinian Authority to pursue international legal action and seek unilateral recognition of statehood as reasons for the ban.