Palestinians not to deterred by U.S. move to "protect Israeli crimes"

Palestinian authorities will not be deterred from seeking International Criminal Court action against Israel, an official said on Monday, despite the Trump administration's plan to shut their de facto embassy in Washington in response.

Senior official Saeb Erekat said his office had been informed that the United States would close the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) mission, a move he described as designed "to protect Israeli crimes".

"We reiterate that the rights of the Palestinian people are not for sale, that we will not succumb to U.S. threats and bullying," Erekat said in a statement. "Accordingly, we continue to call upon the International Criminal Court to open its immediate investigation into Israeli crimes."