Israel issues closure orders for Orient House for the Palestinian government

The Israeli Cabinet decided today to issue orders the closure of offices in the Orient House which it said are operating illegally, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's media advisor said today in an official statement.

Citing "a series of provocations by Palestinian Authority (PA) personnel at Orient House, including the summoning of Gaza-based representatives of Arab countries to Jerusalem on Israel's Independence Day," the Cabinet charged Internal Security Minister Avigdor Kahalani with issuing the closure orders.

The statement added that orders would also be issued against "persons working on behalf of the PA at Orient House in contravention of the law and the political agreements. "