The Trump administration says it is closing the office of the Palestine Liberation Organization in Washington, D.C., effectively shuttering the Palestinian diplomatic mission to the U.S.
"We have permitted the PLO office to conduct operations that support the objective of achieving a lasting, comprehensive peace between Israelis and the Palestinians," State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a statement Monday.
"However, the PLO has not taken steps to advance the start of direct and meaningful negotiations with Israel," she added.
Husam Zomlot, the head of the Palestinian delegation to the U.S., said that they are "not surprised."
"Such a reckless act confirms that the administration is blindly executing Israel's 'wish list,' which starts with shutting down Palestinian diplomatic representation in the US," he said in a statement.
Palestinian diplomat Saeb Erekat described the decision as "yet another affirmation of the Trump Administration's policy to collectively punish the Palestinian people." He vowed to "protect the rights of our citizens living in the United States to access their consular services."
The PLO has been calling on the International Criminal Court to open an investigation into actions by Israel.
In her statement, Nauert called the decision consistent with concerns about "Palestinian attempts to prompt an investigation of Israel by the International Criminal Court."
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