The Palestinians have severed all contacts with officials from the Trump administration after it decided to close their official representation in Washington, dealing a blow to any potential resurrection of peace talks with Israel.
Last week, the State Department declined to renew the permit for the office operated by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in Washington.
“What is the use of holding any meetings with them when they close our office? Our meetings begin from our office, and the arrangements are there,” Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Malki told AFP.
“In practice by closing the office they are freezing all meetings and we are making that official.”
A spokesman for the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) confirmed that it had received instructions from Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas “regarding closing down all communication lines with the Americans”.
The PLO, which the international community sees as representing all Palestinians, must have its permission to operate premises in the US capital renewed by the State Department every six months.
But last week the department refused to renew the permit.
US officials cited comments by Abbas about possibly taking Israel to the International Criminal Court.
In 2015, the US Congress introduced a provision that Palestinians may not try to wield influence over the ICC concerning investigations into Israelis.
The US consulate in Jerusalem declined to comment on Tuesday, instead referring back to a statement on Saturday which said it was hopeful that any “closure will be short-lived,”
“We are not cutting off relations with the PLO,” that statement said.
The declaration does not automatically mean the mission will close.
US President Donald Trump now has a 90-day window to decide whether “the Palestinians have entered into direct, meaningful negotiations with Israel” — in which case he can waive the requirement to shutter the office.
(AP / AFP / Newsweek)
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3 Responses
Leave it closed. Their word means nothing. I’d rather have no relationship with them. They’re two facers, and we can’t trust anything from them. Kudos to Trump and the State Department for having the “Kahunos” to stand up to them. What a breath of fresh air!
So now Will We Keep Sending them Hundreds of THousands of dollars a year while they “Freeze All Contact with the US”??? And WHEN!!! will the Taylor Force act start to stop funding them while they Incite and Glorify Terrorists!??!?
Will we have to find a way to send them the millions of dollars we give them yearly or we can keep it and put it to better use?