The US Palestinian Affairs Unit closed its Jerusalem offices during Yom Kippur on Tuesday, due to a "local holiday."
The refusal to acknowledge Yom Kippur by the PAU, which operates out of the United States embassy in Jerusalem, has baffled and confused many.
"Our office is closed today, Thursday, September 16, for the local holiday. We will reopen for normal business tomorrow, Friday, September 17," the PAU wrote on their official Twitter account early Thursday morning, during Yom Kippur.
Our office is closed today, Thursday, September 16, for the local holiday. We will reopen for normal business tomorrow, Friday, September 17. pic.twitter.com/dOT8c9Zfat
— US Palestinian Affairs Unit (@USPalAffairs) September 16, 2021
Israeli diplomat and former ambassador to South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland and Azerbaijan Arthur Lenk commented on the vague message.
"Lots of fun comments to this mysterious, unnamed 'local holiday.' I wonder what mysterious, unnamed "normal business" will take place today," Lenk wrote on Twitter.
Lots of fun comments to this mysterious, unnamed "local holiday" tweet. I wonder what mysterious, unnamed "normal business" will take place today. https://t.co/6K0N0HZAPn
— ארתור לֶנק آرثر لينك (@ArthurLenk) September 17, 2021
Len Khodorkovsky, former senior adviser for Global Public Affairs in the US State Department, also ridiculed the indistinct tweet.
"Which local holiday is that?," Khodorkovsky asked on Twitter. "Do you mean Yom Kippur, the Jewish people’s holiest day of the year?
Which local holiday is that? Do you mean Yom Kippur, the Jewish people’s holiest day of the year? https://t.co/yB2s4s3mPv
— Len Khodorkovsky (@MessageFromLen) September 17, 2021
The PAU is the US' diplomatic outreach to the Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza. The embassy on Agron Road, which was once the consulate general of the United States, was merged with the US embassy in Tel Aviv by the Trump administration.