WATCH: Head of PLO delegation to US lashes out at Israeli PM

Prime Minister Netanyahu wants to punish the Palestinians for their recent admission to Interpol by creating a plan to shut down the Palestinian diplomatic office.

OCTOBER 1, 2017 02:59

Updated: OCTOBER 1, 2017 16:08

US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas during their meeting at the presidential headquarters in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, May 23, 2017 (photo credit: REUTERS) — US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas during their meeting at the presidential headquarters in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, May 23, 2017

(photo credit: REUTERS)

Ambassador Dr. Husam Zomlot took to lash back at the report in Israeli media that the prime minister of Israel can shut down the Palestinian diplomatic office in the US.

Zomlot claimed that the report is “absurd” and the diplomatic office exists at the will of the American government.

Zomlot stated that he wants to strengthen the Palestinian relationship with the US.

On Israel's demand to shut down the PLO General Delegation to the United States#PalestineInUSA @hzomlot pic.twitter.com/O4D7rcngCY
— Palestine in the US (@PalestineUSA) September 30, 2017

According to a report by Israel’s Kan State TV, Prime Minister Netanyahu wants to punish the Palestinians for their recent admission to Interpol by creating a plan to shut down the Palestinian diplomatic office.

After Interpol admitted the “State of Palestine” as a member, Netanyahu met with US envoy Jason Greenblatt, US ambassador David Friedman and Israel’s ambassador to the US Ron Dermer to discuss a response. There is no indication what the response will be.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Netanyahu said at the meeting that the actions of Palestinian leadership are violations of previous agreements with Israel and severely damages the chances of achieving peace.

Netanyahu directed Dermer to see whether the Palestinian moves at the International Criminal Court are a violation of US law, which could conceivably lead to a closure of the PLO offices in Washington.

The Interpol vote came just a week after Netanyahu told the UN General Assembly how Israel’s stature on the world stage was steadily improving.

The move passed in a secret ballot by a vote of 75 to 24, with 34 abstentions. The Palestinians needed more than two-thirds of the yes-or-no votes counted, and passed that threshold handily.