The US State Department on Tuesday rejected calls by 32 congressional lawmakers, including Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz, to close the Washington office of the Palestinian Liberation Organization.<br />In a letter dated December 18, the lawmakers called on Secretary of State John Kerry to revoke a waiver that allows the PLO office in Washington to remain open.<br />They argued that Palestinian leaders encouraged violence against Israelis, including a wave of knife-wielding attacks in recent months.<br />"The United States government has an obligation to publicly denounce the PLO's actions and should immediately revoke its waiver," according to a copy of the letter posted on Cruz's website.<br />"Allowing the PLO to maintain an office in Washington, DC provides no benefit to the United States or the peace process."<br />State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau confirmed that the department had received the letter and said Kerry would respond to it.
