by JNS Staff
Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon urged the Palestinian Authority to instead reform itself and “stop incitement of terrorism.”
Palestinian Authority envoy Riyad Mansour has dropped his bid to preside over the U.N. General Assembly following diplomatic efforts by several countries, Israel’s ambassador to the world body said on Thursday.
Ambassador Danny Danon said Mansour withdrew his candidacy on Wednesday for an appointment for the 2026-27 session, which the Palestinians had sought with backing from the Arab Group.
Danon welcomed the move, calling the bid “yet another attempt to turn the U.N. General Assembly into a political circus against Israel and to bolster the status of the Palestinian delegation through the back door.” He urged the Palestinians to instead “stop incitement of terrorism” and reform the Palestinian Authority.
Following diplomatic activity here at the UN, the Palestinian representative, Riyad Mansour, who submitted his candidacy for the position of President of the General Assembly this month, has withdrawn his candidacy.
— Danny Danon 🇮🇱 דני דנון (@dannydanon) February 25, 2026
From the outset, the very submission of the candidacy was yet…
The U.N. General Assembly 2026-2027 session opens on Sept. 8. Mansour was nominated for the presidency by the 22-member Arab Group caucus on March 24, 2025.
The 193-member General Assembly elects its president annually under a rotation system, with the larger Asia-Pacific Group—which represents some 55 member states, including Arabs nations—next slated to fill the post.
In May 2024, the U.N. General Assembly approved an unprecedented measure to give the Palestinian Authority novel rights beyond those reserved for a non-state member, including the right to speak on any matter before the General Assembly and to offer amendments to resolutions.
The United States on April 18, 2024, vetoed a Security Council resolution that would have afforded the Palestinians full member-state recognition, noting that Ramallah did not have the required elements of statehood.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson told JNS last year that Washington “opposes the Palestinian Authority’s candidacy for U.N. General Assembly president.”
A non-state member has never held the assembly presidency, and such a move would create legal and political uncertainty.
The 2024 resolution did not explicitly give the Palestinian Authority the right to hold the presidency, but an interpretation by U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres stated that a P.A. representative could do so.
The Palestinian Authority was competing with at least two other candidates in the Asia-Pacific Group: Bangladesh, which declared its bid years ago and is actively campaigning, and Cyprus, which also entered the race.
The vote in the General Assembly is scheduled for June 2026.
JNS Staff
Source: https://www.jns.org/pa-drops-un-general-assembly-presidency-bid-under-pressure/
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