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WASHINGTON – The Trump administration is expected to announce on Monday that it will close the office of the Palestine Liberation Organization in Washington, officials said Sunday evening, expanding a US lobbying campaign amid peace efforts in the Middle-East.
"The United States will always stand by our friend and ally, Israel," said John Bolton, a national security advisor, in a speech prepared by the Wall Street Journal on Monday.
"The Trump administration will not keep the office open when Palestinians refuse to engage in direct and meaningful negotiations with Israel," he said.
Mr. Bolton also planned to threaten to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court if he investigated the United States and Israel.
"If the court comes after us, Israel or other allies, we will not sit quietly," said Mr. Bolton, according to his prepared remarks.
According to Bolton, the United States would ban ICC judges and prosecutors from entering the country.
"We will sanction their funds in the US financial system and we will continue them in the US penal system," adds Bolton. "We will do the same for any company or state that helps an ICC investigation of Americans."
Write to Michael R. Gordon at [email protected]
