(LibertySociety.com) – Secretary of State Marco Rubio will dissolve the Biden administration’s Office of Palestinian Affairs, restoring the Trump-era policy of maintaining a unified U.S. diplomatic mission in Jerusalem.
At a Glance
- Rubio has directed U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee to merge the Office of Palestinian Affairs (OPA) with the American embassy in Jerusalem
- The OPA, created by the Biden administration in 2022, operated independently of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem
- The move restores President Trump’s vision for a unified U.S. diplomatic presence recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s undivided capital
- Republican lawmakers criticized the OPA for its perceived anti-Israel stance, including calls for Israeli restraint during Hamas’s October 7 attack
- The position of Special Envoy to the Palestinians will also be eliminated
Restoring Trump’s Vision for Jerusalem
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is moving to close the State Department’s Office of Palestinian Affairs, a Biden administration creation that Republicans have criticized as undermining U.S. policy recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Rubio has instructed Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee to incorporate the OPA’s functions into the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem, effectively dismantling what many conservatives viewed as a de facto Palestinian consulate operating independently of American diplomatic channels in Israel.
The OPA was established in June 2022 by the Biden administration as part of an effort to elevate relations with the Palestinian Authority. Unlike its predecessor unit, the OPA reported directly to Washington rather than to the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, creating what critics called a shadow diplomatic mission that contradicted the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 and the Trump administration’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s undivided capital.
“Let there be no misunderstanding: this unprecedented arrangement—to turn the Palestinian Affairs Unit into a ‘U.S. Office of Palestinian Affairs’ that will no longer report to the U.S. Ambassador to Israel but instead report directly to the State Department in Washington, D.C., and to appoint a Special Envoy to the Palestinians—is an effort to open an unofficial and de facto U.S. consulate to the Palestinians in Jerusalem.” – Rubio and his colleagues.
The closure aligns with broader efforts to realign the State Department with Trump’s foreign policy priorities. Along with eliminating the OPA, Rubio will also abolish the position of Special Envoy to the Palestinians, further consolidating America’s diplomatic representation in the region under a single mission in Jerusalem.
Strong Congressional Support
The decision has garnered significant backing from Republican lawmakers who opposed the Biden administration’s creation of the OPA. When Biden established the office, Rubio led more than 80 members of Congress in protesting the move, arguing it undermined Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and violated U.S. law. The OPA’s actions during the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel further intensified Republican criticism, with the office calling for Israel to show restraint while under terrorist assault.
Senior Republican legislators have publicly endorsed Rubio’s decision, viewing it as a restoration of Trump’s clear policy on Jerusalem. Senator Bill Hagerty and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise have both issued statements supporting the move, emphasizing its importance in reinforcing Trump’s historic decision to implement the Jerusalem Embassy Act fully.
“I welcome Secretary Rubio’s efforts in the second Trump administration to reinforce President Trump’s historic first-term decision to fully implement the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 and relocate the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Israel’s eternal and indivisible capital of Jerusalem.” – Senator Bill Hagerty.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise also voiced strong support, stating: “I was a strong supporter of President Trump’s decision to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem and was outraged when the Biden administration sought to undermine President Trump’s historic move.” This unified congressional backing reinforces the political significance of the decision within Republican foreign policy circles.
Addressing Diplomatic Confusion
The OPA’s semi-autonomous status created significant diplomatic confusion regarding America’s position on Jerusalem’s status. Operating independently of the U.S. Embassy, the office effectively circumvented Israeli sovereignty by maintaining a separate diplomatic channel with Palestinians. This arrangement contradicted U.S. law and created friction with Israeli authorities, who viewed the office as an attempt to establish a Palestinian diplomatic foothold in Jerusalem.
Reports indicated that the OPA even denied consular services to dual Israeli-American citizens in some cases, raising concerns about politically motivated treatment. By closing the office and consolidating its functions under the U.S. Embassy, Rubio aims to eliminate this diplomatic ambiguity and ensure consistent application of U.S. policy and services in the region.
The Jerusalem Center for Applied Policy has advocated for this change, noting that the OPA’s existence created legal inconsistencies that undermined Israeli sovereignty. By returning to a unified diplomatic approach, the Trump administration signals a clear recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital while maintaining appropriate channels for Palestinian engagement through the embassy’s regular diplomatic functions.
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