U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered the closure of the Office of Palestinian Affairs (OPA), merging the office back into the US Embassy in Jerusalem. 

The OPA was established in 2022 by President Joe Biden to act independently of the US ambassador to Israel’s office. This move went against the Israeli government’s expressed wishes. The OPA acted as a de facto embassy to the Palestinian Authority in Jerusalem, a move that violated international law.

The Israeli government strongly opposed the plan, saying that it could be understood as de facto approval of a Palestinian capital in Jerusalem and a unilateral move by the Biden administration to implement that aspect of the Two-State Solution without the consent of the Israeli government. Israeli authorities proposed that the US reopen the mission in Ramallah or Abu Dis, but the PA rejected these ideas.

The OPA operated out of Agron Street in Jerusalem until 2019, when the Trump administration closed it. Its staff was merged into the US Embassy in Jerusalem, where they reported directly to the US ambassador. President Biden reopened it in 2022 and created the Office of Palestinian Affairs (OPA) within the Department of State. Under Biden, the OPA was directly under the auspices of the State Department and was independent of the US Embassy to Israel. This allowed its diplomats to report directly to Washington.

“[This] will restore the first Trump term framework of a unified US diplomatic mission in Israel’s capital that reports to the US Ambassador to Israel [Mike] Huckabee, [who] will take the steps necessary to implement the merger over the coming weeks,” said State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce during a briefing.

“The United States remains committed to its historic relationship with Israel, bolstering Israel’s security and securing peace to create a better life for the entire region,”

The Regavim Movement praised the move, emphasizing that, together with a coalition of Zionist organizations, it has been calling for the closing of the OPA for several years. 

“Today, we are gratified by the news that the Trump Administration has made a decisive move toward righting this wrong and setting a new course for US-Israel relations based on mutual respect and a clear understanding of our shared values and aspirations,” Regavim said.