Overview

• The Office of Palestinian Affairs, created by the Biden administration in 2022, is being dissolved and its functions absorbed into the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem.
• Secretary of State Marco Rubio directed Ambassador Mike Huckabee to oversee the merger, which will be implemented in the coming weeks.
• The move restores the unified embassy structure established during the Trump administration, ending the office's direct reporting line to Washington.
• Republican lawmakers have praised the decision, citing concerns over the office's perceived anti-Israel bias and its independent status under the Biden administration.
• Critics argue the merger downgrades U.S.-Palestinian relations, eliminating a direct diplomatic channel and reducing Washington's engagement with Palestinian authorities.