Israel welcomes closure of PLO office in Washington
Office’s closure comes after US ends funding for UN’s cash-strapped Palestinian refugee agency
By Abdelraouf Arnaout
JERUSALEM
Israel on Tuesday welcomed the U.S. administration’s recent decision to close the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)’s office in Washington.
The U.S. State Department announced the decision on Monday, saying the office -- which also serves as a Palestinian embassy -- “will be closed at this point”.
The move comes in ostensible retaliation for efforts by the Palestinian leadership to have crimes allegedly committed by Israel prosecuted by The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC).
The Times of Israel quoted a statement released by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office that read: “The Palestinian’s appeal to the ICC and their rejection of negotiations with Israel and the U.S. are not the way to achieve peace.”
“It is good that the U.S. is taking a clear stance in the matter,” the statement added.
Notably, the office’s closure comes shortly after the U.S. ended all funding for UNRWA, the UN’s cash-strapped Palestinian refugee agency.
The move also comes as the U.S. administration prepares to unveil a controversial Middle East peace plan known as the “Deal of the Century”.
Palestinian officials, however, have ruled out any American role in the peace process since U.S. President Donald Trump unilaterally recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital last year.
Jerusalem remains at the heart of the Israel-Palestine conflict, with Palestinians hoping that East Jerusalem -- occupied by Israel since 1967 -- might eventually serve as the capital of a Palestinian state.
