PLO

WASHINTON: The Palestine Liberation Organization office in Washington can remain open to discuss peace with Israel and may be able to resume full operations soon, the State Department said on Friday. The comment came one week after US officials said the diplomatic mission would have to close because of a law stipulating that Palestinian leaders must not call for Israelis to face international prosecution. The order provoked outrage among the Palestinian leadership, who threatened to cut all ties to President Donald Trump's…

RAMALLAH: The Palestinians have frozen all meetings with the United States after it decided to close their representative office in Washington, officials said on Tuesday. "What is the use of holding any meetings with them when they close our office? Our meetings begin from our office, and the arrangements are there," said Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Malki. "In practice by closing the office they are freezing all meetings and we are making that official." A spokesman for the Palestine Liberation…

RAMALLAH/WASHINGTON: Palestinian officials expressed surprise on Saturday at a U.S. decision to close the Palestine Liberation Organization office in Washington unless the group enters peace negotiations with Israel, and said they would not surrender to blackmail. A U.S. State Department official said that under legislation passed by Congress, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson could not renew a certification that expired this month for the PLO office, "given certain statements made by the Palestinian leaders about the…

RAMALLAH: US President Donald Trump's break with decades of support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is irresponsible and does not advance peace, a senior Palestinian official said on Wednesday. "This does not make sense," Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) executive committee member Hanan Ashrawi told AFP. "This is not a responsible policy and it does not serve the cause of peace. "They cannot just say that without an alternative," she added. On Tuesday, a senior White House…

VATICAN CITY: The Vatican said Wednesday it was preparing to sign its first accord with Palestine, two years after officially recognising it as a state.

RAMALLAH: For decades, Yasser Arafat was the incarnation of the Palestinian fight for independence. Ten years after his death, he remains a national hero for a still stateless people.

RAMALLAH: Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas on Friday called on his people to prevent Israeli settlers from entering Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque and use "all means" to protect the site.