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The U.S. Cannot Deny Visas to Palestine While Welcoming the Vatican: A Blatant Violation of Human Rights Law

  • Writer: Global Human Rights Taskforce
    Global Human Rights Taskforce
  • 1 hour ago
  • 3 min read
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By Joseph Bonner


The United States has once again exposed a dangerous double standard in its foreign policy—this time by denying visas to Palestinian officials ahead of the United Nations General Assembly, while continuing to welcome representatives of the Catholic Church, another non-member observer state. This is not just hypocrisy. It is a direct violation of international law and a moral failure that undermines the very principles the UN was founded to uphold.


Two Observers, Two Realities


Both Palestine and the Holy See (Vatican) hold non-member observer status at the United Nations. Both are entitled to attend UN meetings, participate in debates, and engage in diplomatic dialogue. Yet while Vatican officials are granted full access to U.S. soil, Palestinian leaders are blocked—silenced under the guise of “security concerns.”


This selective enforcement is not only politically motivated—it’s legally indefensible.


Violations of International Law


The United States is bound by the 1947 UN Headquarters Agreement, which explicitly requires it to allow access to all accredited representatives of UN member and observer states. Article IV, Section 11 of the agreement states:


“The federal, state or local authorities of the United States shall not impose any impediments to transit to or from the headquarters district of...representatives of Members or observers of the United Nations.”


By denying visas to Palestinian officials, the U.S. is in clear breach of this treaty. It is obstructing the diplomatic rights of a recognized UN observer and undermining the integrity of the General Assembly itself.


A Human Rights Violation


Beyond treaty law, this action violates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, particularly:

  • Article 19: The right to freedom of expression and access to information

  • Article 21: The right to participate in public affairs

Palestinian officials are being denied the opportunity to speak, advocate, and represent their people on the world stage. This is not just a diplomatic snub—it is a suppression of political identity and voice.


The Vatican Exception: A Political Shield


The Catholic Church, through the Holy See, enjoys full diplomatic access to the U.S.—despite its own controversial positions on global issues. Why is one observer state welcomed while another is rejected?


The answer is simple: strategic alliances. The Vatican is seen as a moral ally, a cultural institution with global influence. Palestine, on the other hand, is viewed through the lens of conflict, resistance, and inconvenient truth.


This is not diplomacy. It is discrimination.


Demand for Immediate Action


If the U.S. government insists on rejecting Palestinian visas, it must—by the same legal and ethical standard—reject visas from the Holy See. Anything less is a blatant violation of the UN Headquarters Agreement and a betrayal of human rights law.


We demand:

  1. Immediate reversal of the visa denial for Palestinian officials

  2. Public accountability from the U.S. State Department

  3. Equal treatment of all UN observer states, regardless of political alliances


The United Nations cannot function as a platform for peace and justice if its host nation selectively silences voices based on geopolitical convenience.


This is not about religion. It’s not about politics. It’s about principle. If the United States wants to be a credible leader on the world stage, it must honor its legal obligations and uphold the dignity of every nation—especially those fighting for recognition, justice, and peace.


Silencing Palestine while embracing the Vatican is not diplomacy. It’s discrimination. And it must end now.


 Joseph Bonner 

President, Global Human Rights Taskforce 




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