Palestine threatens to cut communication with U.S.
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Describing the threat to close the Palestine Liberation Organization mission as “very unfortunate and unacceptable,” Saeb Erekat, a senior Palestinian negotiator, said the U.S. government's decision came "at a time when we are trying to cooperate to achieve the ultimate deal."
While the Donald Trump administration offered no response and Netanyahu's office issued a statement affirming that the possible closure was “a matter of U.S. law, Erekat went on to say that Palestine “will put on hold all our communications with this American administration."
Prior to Erekat's issuing his statement on social media, U.S. officials claimed that threats to close the PLO mission stemmed from an unavoidable consequence of the country's law, not a strategic move to increase leverage over Palestinian negotiators during Middle East peace talks.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki was informed that legal teams working for the U.S. government and its State Department will convene on Monday to determine the function of the PLO mission.
"We will wait to hear back from them," Malki said. ■