\n<\/p>\n
UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations General Assembly voted on Thursday to allow Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to address \u200bthe annual gathering of world leaders next week via video \u2013 \u200cfor the second year in a row \u2013 after the United States again denied him a visa to travel to New York.<\/strong><\/p>\n The resolution received 152 votes in favor and three \u200bvotes against, while four countries abstained. It also allows Abbas and \u200bany other high-level Palestinian officials to take part in U.N. \u2060meetings or conferences via video over the next year if they are \u200bprevented from traveling to the United States.<\/span><\/p>\n The US said last year that \u200bAbbas and about 80 other Palestinians would be affected by its decision to deny and revoke visas from members of the umbrella Palestine Liberation Organization and the West Bank-based \u200bPalestinian Authority. Washington announced on Wednesday that it had extended the visa \u200bbans.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIf the PA wants to be treated as a partner, it must stop subsidizing \u200cterror \u2060and stop using diplomatic theater as a substitute for serious governance,\u201d Deputy US Ambassador to the United Nations Tammy Bruce told the assembly before the vote.<\/span><\/p>\n Palestinian leaders rejected and condemned the move by the United States, Palestinian \u200bUN envoy Riyad Mansour \u200btold the General \u2060Assembly.<\/span><\/p>\n Without naming specific officials, the US State Department said on Wednesday it would extend visa sanctions against Palestinian \u200bofficials over actions they took to \u201cinternationalize the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,\u201d \u200bincluding pursuing \u2060cases against Israel at international tribunals.<\/span><\/p>\n A Palestinian official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed Abbas\u2019 visa had been denied.<\/span><\/p>\n