Secretary Rubio Orders Closure of Office of Palestinian Affairs

In a significant move, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has directed the Department of State to shut down the Office of Palestinian Affairs, integrating its functions into the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem. This decision was confirmed by Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce during a recent hearing, as reported by CNN.

Details of the Merger

Bruce explained that U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, will oversee the merger process in the upcoming weeks. She highlighted that this action aims to reinstate the diplomatic structure from President Trump’s first term, focusing on a unified mission under the U.S. Ambassador’s direct supervision in Israel’s capital.

“This decision will restore the first Trump term framework of a unified US diplomatic mission in Israel’s capital that reports to the US ambassador to Israel,” Bruce stated. She further noted the similarity of this reorganization to other departmental consolidations, emphasizing the strategic alignment of important issues within the embassy’s interests.

Controversy Surrounding the Office of Palestinian Affairs

According to the Washington Free Beacon, the Office of Palestinian Affairs, established during the Biden administration, was often criticized by Republican lawmakers for its perceived anti-Israel stance. Notably, during the Hamas attack on October 7, the office controversially urged Israel to refrain from retaliating, sparking further legislative scrutiny and demands for regular reporting on its activities.

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The creation of the OPA in June 2022 was against Israel’s preferences and was seen as a potential breach of the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995, which mandated a singular U.S. embassy in Jerusalem. This move by the Biden administration has been widely regarded by conservatives as a legal overstep and a hindrance to Israeli interests.

Republican Support for the Closure

The closure has been met with applause from several Republican figures. Representative Claudia Tenney (R-NY) and Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) both expressed their approval on X, with Tenney thanking Secretary Rubio and Ambassador Huckabee for upholding U.S. law and Cotton emphasizing that U.S.-Israeli relations should solely be managed through the official embassy, not by entities perceived as supporting terrorism.

“The Biden administration’s Office of Palestinian Affairs undermined Israel & emboldened Hamas,” Tenney remarked. Senator Dave McCormick (R-PA) also supported the closure on X, condemning the previous administration’s actions as detrimental to Israel and laudatory of the corrective steps taken by the current administration.

Historical Context

The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem was officially opened on May 14, 2018, during President Trump’s first term, with Trump himself celebrating the early completion of the embassy in a video address, as reported by Breitbart News. “Today we follow through on this recognition and open our embassy in the historic and sacred land of Jerusalem and we’re opening it many, many years ahead of schedule,” Trump had declared.

This recent decision by Secretary Rubio is seen as a continuation of Trump’s firm pro-Israel stance, reinforcing the U.S.’s commitment to its ally by centralizing diplomatic efforts in Jerusalem under the guidance of the U.S. Embassy.