Trump reverses his decision on Palestine

Flip: Last week the Trump administration told the Palestinians that they would likely be closing their Washington D.C. office unless they were willing to have "meaningful" talks with Israel.

Flop: The Trump administration announced that they are going to allow the Palestinian office to remain open.

According to the Associated Press, the office can remain open with certain limitations, most importantly, that the PLO's activities there be "related to achieving a lasting, comprehensive peace between the Israelis and Palestinians."

And this is quite possible.

All that needs to happen is for the Israelis to be "pushed into the river of the sea," and poof! Palestine will be free . . . and there will be peace.

The U.S. could lift the restrictions after 90 days if peace talks have begun between the Palestinians and the U.S. [note the absence of Israel here], the AP reported. 

The State Department remains hopeful . . . naive, but hopeful.

The report from last week said, in part:

Trump now has 90 days to consider whether the Palestinians are in "direct and meaningful negotiations with Israel." If Trump determines they are, the Palestinians can keep the office. The official said it was unclear whether the U.S. might close the office before the 90-day period expires, but said the mission remains open at least for now.

So it sounds as if the office is going to remain open because the 'flop' appears to outweigh the 'flip.' 

It all depends on how the wind blows in Washington, not on ideology--Trump doesn't really have one of those.


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