The Revolutionary Council of the PLO’s founding group Fatah on Thursday held an extensive meeting in the office of its deputy chairman, Mahmoud al-Alul, in Ramallah, where al-Aloul declared that the American “biased move” against the PLO representation in Washington, DC, has led to the negotiations reaching a dead-end, Ma’an reported. Al-Aloul warned that “America is escalating its positions against the Palestinians’ rights” in its effort to shut down the PLO General Delegation to the US at 1732 Wisconsin Ave in the US capital.
On November 18, the US State Department announced the PLO diplomatic mission in the US would be closed down is in response to Palestinian Authority’s advocating for the International Criminal Court to prosecute Israeli “war crimes.” According to the law governing the PA representation in the US, every six months the secretary of state has to determine whether the PA diplomatic mission can remain open because of restrictions imposed by Congress saying the PLO office cannot operate in the US if the PA pushes for Israeli prosecution at the International Criminal Court.
Last September, PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas announced: “We have called on the International Criminal Court to open an investigation and to prosecute Israeli officials” for settlement activities, which he called “aggressions against our people.” In response, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told the PLO they no longer comply with the law, and their office must be closed.
Challenging the Secretary of State’s threat, al-Aloul announced the implementation of the PA leadership’s decision to go to the ICC. He also urged the legal committee to act quickly to raise legal issues for submission in various international bodies and stressed the need for all those affected by the “occupation” to raise these issues, in both Israeli and international courts.