Israel security minister Gilad Erdan renewed Tuesday his earlier order to close the Orient House in occupied Jerusalem for another six months Israel Hayom newspaper revealed.
The paper claimed that extending the closure order came after intelligence information affirmed the PA’s intention to strengthen its sovereignty in the occupied city of Jerusalem.
Resuming operations in the Orient House would strengthen Palestinians’ control over Jerusalem the paper reads.
“Our sovereignty starts from Jerusalem” Erdan said adding We will stop any attempt to undermine our sovereignty even by force.”
The Orient House is a building located in occupied Jerusalem that served as the headquarters of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in the 1980s and 1990s.
Built in 1897 by Musa al-Husayni it has been owned by the Al-Husayni family since then. It was closed by Israeli authorities in 2001 after the eruption of the Palestinian Intifada (uprising).
The closure order has been extended every six months since 2001.
