U.S. Push to Block Palestinian Bid for UN General Assembly Vice-Presidency

On 19 May, a U.S. State Department cable instructed the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem to issue a formal protest to the Palestinian Authority (PA) demanding the withdrawal of its candidacy for one of the 16 United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) vice-presidential seats. The cable set a deadline of 22 May for the PA to pull the bid, noting that the election of vice-presidents will occur on 2 June alongside the selection of the next UNGA president.

The Guardian

The effort follows a broader Trump-era policy that has resisted moves toward Palestinian statehood. In August 2025, the administration revoked all visas for Palestinian officials ahead of a UN summit week, later reinstating visas for those already assigned to the UN mission. The current pressure is linked to concerns that a Palestinian vice-president could “chair high-profile debates on the Middle East” during the upcoming UNGA 81 high-level week in September.

The Guardian

• U.S. State Department – author of the cable and issuer of the diplomatic démarche.

The Guardian

• U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem – tasked with delivering the protest to PA leaders.

The Guardian

• Riyad Mansour – long-serving Palestinian envoy who withdrew his 2024 bid for UNGA president after U.S. lobbying.

The Guardian

• Bezalel Smotrich – Israeli finance minister who has blocked PA tax and customs revenues since the Gaza war began in October 2023.

The Guardian

• International Criminal Court (ICC) – mentioned in the cable in relation to a potential arrest warrant for Smotrich.

The Guardian

• The UNGA has 16 vice-presidential positions; the PA is running as one of four delegations on an Asia-Pacific group slate.

The Guardian

• 60 % of the PA’s total revenue comes from tax and customs duties currently withheld by Israel.

The Guardian

• The U.S. deadline for withdrawal is 22 May, with the UNGA election slated for 2 June.

The Guardian

The cable records that the U.S. mission has “repeatedly appealed” to the PA to stand down, warning that the bid “undermines President Trump’s Comprehensive Plan” for Gaza reconstruction. It further states that failure to withdraw could trigger “consequences,” including a possible revisit of visa restrictions and the withholding of revenue owed to the PA unless it “engages in good faith without internationalizing disagreements in courts.”

The Guardian

• “consequences will follow” — U.S. State Department cable

The Guardian

• “In a worst case scenario, the next PGA [president of the general assembly] might assist the Palestinians in presiding over high-profile sessions related to the Middle East or during UNGA81 high-level week,” — U.S. State Department cable

The Guardian

• “It would be unfortunate to have to revisit any available options,” — U.S. State Department cable (referring to visa revocation)

The Guardian

• “Separately, under a section titled “if raised”, US diplomats were instructed to remind the Palestinians if they did not “engage in good faith without internationalizing disagreements in courts” they would make no progress in recouping tax and customs revenue owed to them but withheld by the Israeli government.” — U.S. State Department cable

The Guardian

The PA has not provided a public response to the U.S. demands, leaving the specific nature of the threatened “consequences” beyond visa revocation and revenue withholding unclear. Details on how the withheld revenues might be released if the PA complies are not disclosed.

The Guardian

The PA must decide by 22 May whether to withdraw its vice-presidential bid. If the deadline passes, the U.S. may pursue the outlined visa and revenue actions ahead of the 2 June UNGA election. Ongoing ICC scrutiny of Finance Minister Smotrich adds an additional diplomatic dimension to the unfolding situation.

The Guardian