The United States is closing the Palestinian Authority’s de facto consulate, the Office of Palestinian Affairs (OPA) in Jerusalem and merging it with the embassy. The decision, by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, restores Trump’s uniform diplomatic presence in Israel’s capital.

The Office of Palestinian Affairs was set up by the Biden administration in June 2022 to handle relations with the Palestinian Authority, but it evolved, according to critics, into an “unofficial Palestinian consulate” in Jerusalem – potentially violating the Jerusalem Embassy Act’s (1995) requirement for a unified US embassy in Israel.

Anti-Israeli

OPA was considered Palestinian leaders’ direct channel of communication to Washington, independent of the embassy, which gave it a special status.

OPA faced opposition for what were perceived as anti-Israeli attitudes. It peaked when the office called on Israel to refrain from retaliation during the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023.

No special envoy to the Palestinians

The closure removes “a parallel channel for Palestinian diplomacy” – marking a significant shift in US Middle East policy. At the same time, the position of Special Envoy to the Palestinians is removed.

 

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