US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will shut down the Office of Palestinian Affairs and merge it into the US embassy in Jerusalem, according to State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce.
“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 during a department briefing. “Ambassador Mike Huckabee will take the necessary steps to carry out the merger in the coming weeks.”
Bruce emphasized that the move “is not a reflection on any outreach or commitment to outreach to the people at the West Bank or to Gaza.”
“It really aligns with what we’re doing with our internal reorganization,” she added. “We’re ensuring that all key issues are coordinated, not separated, so the embassy’s priorities — much like our foreign aid and broader efforts — can operate as one unit.”
Despite that explanation, the decision seems to further downgrade US relations with the Palestinian people. It also follows closely after Israel approved plans to intensify its military operations in Gaza.
On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “One thing will be clear: there will be no in-and-out.” After more than 18 months of war, he said Gaza’s population would be pushed south “to protect them.” Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich declared that “we are finally going to conquer the Gaza Strip.”
Former President Donald Trump said last week that he told Netanyahu, “We’ve got to be good to Gaza.” Still, his statement hasn’t been backed by any tangible actions. Israel’s blockade of Gaza has now lasted three months. The Palestinian Ministry of Health reports that over 52,000 Palestinians have died since the war began.
During Trump’s first term, the US closed its consulate general in Jerusalem and replaced it with the Palestinian Affairs Unit, which functioned under the embassy.
That consulate had provided the Palestinian Authority with a direct link to Washington and a dedicated US representative, bypassing the US ambassador to Israel. The separate channels for Israelis and Palestinians were seen as essential for US mediation during times of tension.
However, David Friedman — Trump’s first ambassador to Israel and a vocal supporter of Israeli settlements in the West Bank — shut down the consulate. Friedman, who openly opposes the idea of a Palestinian state, became the main US intermediary for the Palestinians.
Though the Biden administration pledged to reopen the consulate, it never followed through.
Now, Rubio’s decision to close the Office of Palestinian Affairs further limits the Palestinian Authority’s ability to directly engage with the US. This comes under Huckabee’s leadership — someone who previously stated, “there’s really no such thing as a Palestinian.”
