LOC01:34
22:34 GMT
WASHINGTON, Nov 21 (KUNA) -- The US is in contact with Palestinian officials over the pending shutdown of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) office in Washington D.C., the State Department said Tuesday.
The move comes after Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was unable to renew the certification for the office, which would waive statutory restrictions against the PLO.
State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert highlighted "certain statements made by Palestinian leaders about the ICC (International Criminal Court)" at the UN. These comments may have broken a condition introduced by Congress in 2015 regarding Palestinian actions related to the ICC.
Tillerson took "a very technical look at this, and determined that basically, the PLO had not complied with the condition," she noted.
"We are in contact with them about the status of the PLO office in Washington, as well as having conversations with them about our larger efforts on the part of a lasting and comprehensive peace process," stressed Nauert.
Over the weekend, Palestinians slammed the threat of a shutdown noting that it would encourage further anti-Palestinian practices carried out by the Israeli government.
"In our view, communications are not frozen," she added. (end)
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