(CNN) — The United States is denying a visa to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas for next month’s UN General Assembly – a significant and controversial move ahead of the global summit where multiple countries are expected to recognize a Palestinian state.

The State Department announced Friday it is “denying and revoking visas” from members of the Palestinian Authority (PA) & Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).

A State Department official confirmed that “Abbas is affected by this action along with approximately 80 other PA officials.”

According to Friday’s announcement, the Palestinian Authority’s Mission to the UN “will receive waivers per the UN Headquarters Agreement.”

However, refusing Abbas a visa would appear to violate that agreement as the United Nations recogni

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