Hamas: US closure of PLO offices threat is a concession to Israel

Hamas considers new US conditions for the renewal of the PLO licence for an office in Washington to be an effort to protect Israel from being held accountable for its crimes. Hamas also called for the Palestinian Authority (PA) to reject these conditions, Palinfo.com reported, Monday.

In a statement, Hamas said: "Linking the renewal of the PLO office in Washington to Palestine’s joining the ICC or it filing lawsuits against Zionist war criminal confirms that the US is completely biased.”

Hamas added: "Washington is not a fair mediator and these conditions protect Israeli criminals from being held to account for the crimes they commit against out people and gives them a green-light to continue.”

Hamas also condemned linking the license renewal with starting unconditional negotiations with the Israel. It called for the PA leadership to reject these conditions and to take the side of the Palestinians.

On Saturday, the PLO’s Secretary Saeb Erekat warned that the PA would suspend all contacts with the US Administration if it did not reopen the PLO office in Washington.

He said that the PLO received a letter from the State Department noting that the refusal came in response to joining the ICC and asking it to investigate Israeli crimes, including settlement and offensives on Gaza.