The United States should continue to uphold its own legal obligations under the Host Country Agreement, said Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN),on Friday,following recent sanctions targeting Palestinian officials.
His remarks followed a controversial decision by the U.S. Department of State on Thursday to impose sanctions denying visas to officials of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). The sanctions accused these officials of supporting terrorism, glorifying violence, and providing financial benefits to Palestinian terrorists and their families.
This move has drawn sharp criticism, raising concerns over its alignment with international diplomatic norms and its impact on Palestinian representation at the UN.
Responding to these developments during a press briefing, Haq reiterated the importance of adhering to the Host Country Agreement, which ensures access to the UN Headquarters for official purposes.
"Our expectation on this is, of course, that the United States will continue to uphold its own legal obligations under the Host Country Agreement, which as you know, allows for people to come into the country in order to go about UN business here at Headquarters," said Haq.
The U.S. department accused them of "continuing to support terrorism including incitement and glorification of violence," and "providing payments and benefits in support of terrorism to Palestinian terrorists and their families."
Haq refuted such accusations.
"This is not what we've observed about the Palestinian Authority, which is, as you know, the recognized representative of the Palestinian people," he said.
UN urges US to honor Host Country Agreement amid new sanctions on Palestinian officials
UN urges US to honor Host Country Agreement amid new sanctions on Palestinian officials
