The Trump administration is integrating its Office of Palestinian Affairs with its Israeli embassy, the US State department said on May 6th, indicating a deterioration in America’s ties with Palestinians, according to Middle East Eye via Reuters.
Tammy Bruce, spokesperson for the State Department, said that Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, decided to close the Office of Palestinian Affairs (OPA) as an independent entity and instead make it an office of the US embassy to Israel.
Bruce stated the decision is not a “reflection on any outreach, or commitment to outreach, to the people of the West Bank or to Gaza.” Bruce said in a department meeting this would “restore the first Trump term framework of a unified US diplomatic mission in Israel’s capital that reports to the US ambassador to Israel.”
She added “Ambassador (Mike) Huckabee will take the steps necessary to implement the merger over the coming weeks,” CNN reported on My 6th.
Merging the OPA into the embassy reportedly points towards Trump’s limited inclination towards forming a Palestinian state.
On April 5th, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated “One thing will be clear: there will be no in-and-out.” After over 18 months of war, Netanyahu explained the Gaza population will be moved south “to protect them.” Subsequently, the far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich declared “we [Israel] are finally going to conquer the Gaza Strip.”
the BBC reported on February 6th, Trump reiterated his plan for the US to claim control of Gaza. This came after contradictory remarks from his administration. He said: “The Gaza Strip would be turned over to the United States by Israel at the conclusion of fighting.”
He insisted his plan included resettling Palestinians without using US troops. His remarks have faced strong backlash from the United Nations, human rights groups, and Arab leaders. Many accuse him of supporting ethnic cleansing.
Trump has also said the he told Netanyahu: “We’ve got to be good to Gaza.” So far, no action has followed the statement, as Israel continues its full blockade of Gaza for three months. The Palestinian Ministry of Health reports that over 52,000 Palestinians have died since the war started.
CNN, Middle East Eye via Reuters, BBC
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