In a move that underscores deep diplomatic pressure on the Palestinian mission at the United Nations, Palestinian UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour has formally pulled his name from contention for the vice presidency of the UN General Assembly, following explicit threats from the United States to revoke the entire Palestinian delegation’s entry visas if he refused to abandon the race, National Public Radio has reported.
Citing an anonymous source with direct knowledge of the internal developments, the outlet confirmed that Lebanon’s ambassador will now take Mansour’s place on the ballot. The Palestinian UN delegation communicated through a third Arab nation that Mansour would not seek the vice presidential position for the 2024-2026 term, according to the report. La Neice Collins, spokesperson for the sitting UN General Assembly president, later issued a public statement confirming the withdrawal, cementing the outcome of the behind-the-scenes pressure campaign.
Documents show that internal communications from the US State Department, dated Tuesday, had explicitly instructed American diplomatic staff based in Jerusalem to ramp up pressure on Palestinian leadership to force Mansour out of the race. The cable argued that Mansour’s candidacy ran counter to former US President Donald Trump’s ongoing policy proposals for the post-conflict future of the Gaza Strip. The department’s message was uncompromising: “We will hold the Palestinian Authority responsible if the Palestinian delegation does not withdraw its VPGA candidacy.”
The cable also carried a veiled reference to past punitive visa actions, reminding recipients that Washington had already denied entry visas to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and 80 other senior Palestinian officials ahead of last year’s UN General Assembly gathering in New York. It noted that “it would be unfortunate to have to revisit any available options” — a clear signal that the US was prepared to enact new restrictions if its demands were not met.
As of press time, the Palestinian UN mission has not issued an immediate response to requests for comment from Middle East Eye, the independent outlet that first expanded on the reporting of the incident.
This latest withdrawal marks the second time in 2024 that a senior Palestinian candidate has stepped back from a top UN leadership post amid foreign pressure. Back in February, Mansour withdrew his candidacy for the presidency of the UN General Assembly after coordinated lobbying campaigns from both the United States and Israel. At that time, the Palestinian mission framed the decision as a response to “the prevailing conditions in Palestine.”
The election for UN General Assembly president and the 21 vice presidential seats from regional groups across the world is scheduled to take place on June 2. The current controversy comes on the heels of a landmark May 2024 vote in the General Assembly that delivered expanded participation rights for the Palestinian Authority. In an unprecedented outcome, delegates overwhelmingly approved a measure granting Palestine enhanced standing beyond its current status as a non-member observer state, including the right to speak on all General Assembly agenda items, co-sponsor resolutions, and propose amendments to draft UN texts. The assembly also voted by a wide margin to back Palestine’s bid for full UN membership, marking a major diplomatic breakthrough for Palestinian statehood efforts that has drawn sharp pushback from the US and Israel.