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The United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to permit Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas to address next week’s high-level gathering by prerecorded video after the United States once again refused to issue him a visa to travel to New York.

The measure was approved by a vote of 152-3, with four abstentions. The United States, Israel and Paraguay cast the three opposing votes.

The vote came after Washington extended visa restrictions against members of the Palestine Liberation Organization and Palestinian Authority officials, leaving Abbas unable to attend the General Assembly in person for the second year in a row.

Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, criticized the decision, saying, “As long as Abbas continues his policy of making payments to terrorists and their families, he cannot expect the international community to simply ignore it. Instead of coming to New York, he will send videos. The responsibility for changing this policy is in his hands.”

The State Department said Wednesday that it was continuing the sanctions because, in the administration’s view, the Palestinian Authority had not fulfilled commitments made to the United States. Washington has cited Palestinian efforts involving international organizations and legal proceedings against Israel among the reasons for its visa policy.

“As a consequence of their failure to reform, contrary to their commitments to the United States, and their ongoing activities that undermine the prospects for peace, the United States will extend sanctions that deny visas to PLO members and PA officials,” the State Department said.

Despite the broader restrictions, Washington said personnel assigned to the Palestinian Authority’s mission to the United Nations would continue to be permitted to operate in New York under an existing waiver.

The arrangement largely mirrors what occurred last year, when the General Assembly also authorized Abbas to participate remotely after he was denied a U.S. visa. In 2025, that resolution passed 145-5, with six abstentions.

This year’s resolution again gives Abbas the ability to deliver his General Assembly remarks by video rather than appearing at UN headquarters. The UN’s high-level week is scheduled for September 22 through September 29, with the General Debate beginning September 22.

Abbas had sought to persuade Washington to reverse course. During a visit to Ankara last month, he asked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to raise the visa issue with President Donald Trump. Erdogan, who has described Trump as a “good friend,” subsequently spoke by telephone with the President.

The United States nevertheless maintained the visa restrictions, leaving Abbas to address the gathering remotely for a second consecutive year.

{Matzav.com}

A Texas Air National Guard pilot safely ejected from an F-16 fighter jet moments before the aircraft crashed and erupted in flames in rural northern Michigan on Thursday afternoon, prompting authorities to evacuate residents living within a mile of the wreckage.

The aircraft belonged to the 149th Fighter Wing, based at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in Texas. The unit confirmed that the F-16 went down in Grand Traverse County following what it described as a “mishap.”

The pilot managed to eject before the aircraft hit the ground and parachuted safely to the area below. He was subsequently transported to a nearby hospital for evaluation and treatment. Blair Township Supervisor Nicole Blonshine said the pilot was conscious and alert following the crash.

The impact occurred near County Road 633 and Blair Townhall Road in Blair Township, sending a large column of dark smoke into the air that could be seen from the surrounding area.

“We are currently investigating the mishap,” a spokesperson for the 149th Fighter Wing told The Post.

There were no immediate reports of injuries to anyone on the ground, and Blonshine said she was not aware of any homes being damaged. She was at her own home when the aircraft came down and said the sound of the impact was unmistakable.

“It sounded like a huge explosion. I ran out and I saw a big smoke plume, and my first thought was somebody’s house blew up,” she told The Post.

Emergency crews quickly converged on the area as authorities established a command center at Blair Township Hall. As a precaution, Grand Traverse County officials ordered people living within a one-mile radius of the crash site to leave the area.

“Evacuate within 1 mile of the site. Evacuate away from the intersection of Co Rd 633 and Jefferson Pl. Follow instructions from emergency personnel,” Grand Traverse County Emergency Management posted on social media.

Video recorded following the crash showed a substantial plume of smoke rising from the area near the roadway intersection as emergency personnel responded to the scene.

The F-16 was in Michigan as part of a training deployment at the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, according to Stars and Stripes. The facility regularly hosts military aviation units for exercises and readiness training.

The visiting fighter jets had also been scheduled to participate in a flyover Friday night at a local high school football game, according to the Alpena News.

Officials did not immediately disclose what may have caused Thursday’s crash. The 149th Fighter Wing said the circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation.