David Friedman, who served as U.S. ambassador to Israel in the first Trump administration, praised Secretary of State Marco Rubio for revoking visas of Palestinian Authority and Palestine Liberation Organization officials ahead of next week’s U.N. General Assembly in New York, telling Newsmax on Thursday the move was long overdue.
“The U.N. is giving a big party without a guest of honor,” Friedman told “Rob Schmitt Tonight.” “They were hoping to coronate [Palestinian Authority President] Mahmoud Abbas. And he’s not going to be let in, and he shouldn’t be let in. Kudos to Secretary Rubio and President Trump.”
On Aug. 29, Rubio revoked the visas of dozens of Palestinian officials, including Abbas. The Trump administration imposed a freeze Monday on nearly all types of visa applications for those holding a Palestinian Authority passport.
The State Department said last Friday it was holding the PLO and Palestinian Authority accountable for “not complying with their commitments, and for undermining the prospects for peace.”
Friedman said waivers extended to Palestinian officials since the Oslo Accords of the 1990s were always contingent on the PLO abandoning terror and honoring its commitments — conditions he argued were consistently broken.
“They breached this over and over and over again. And Rubio said enough, and Trump said enough. And they’re absolutely right,” Friedman said.
Friedman also criticized former President Joe Biden for not taking similar action during his four years in office.
“It’s a shame that Biden didn’t do this,” he said. “He had four years. He could have done the same thing.”
Rubio’s move came as world leaders prepare to gather at the U.N. on Sept. 9. France, along with nations including Australia, Belgium, Canada, and the United Kingdom, had announced plans to formally recognize a Palestinian state at the meeting.
But without visas, Palestinian officials, including Abbas, will be unable to attend, significantly limiting their presence.
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