Participants in the protest at the PLO office in Washington as the mission was shut down on Wednesday. (Photo courtesy of the US Palestinian Council) 

WASHINGTON, October 11, 2018 (WAFA) – Arab Americans as well as representatives of Jewish and Christian organization demonstrated outside the Palestine Liberation Organization’s (PLO) Delegation office in the US capital, Washington, on Wednesday, the date set by the US State Department for the office to shut down after 24 years in operation.

The State Department last month ordered the PLO office closed as a punishment for the Palestinians for not going along with American dictates for a settlement with Israel, which the Palestinians say heavily favors Israel after the US removed the issues of Jerusalem and refugees from the negotiating table.

Member of the PLO mission, Shahinaz Wafi, told the crowd that closure of the office means cutting diplomatic and political relations between Palestine and the United States.

Hanna Hanania, head of the American Ramallah Federation, said Palestinian presence in the US will continue despite the closure of the PLO office and work will continue on pressing for reopening it.

Foreign Minister Riyad Malki had said that the plaque at the building which identifies it as the PLO office will be removed but the Palestinian flag will remain hoisted since it is a private building unless the owner is forced by the government to remove it.

M.K.