Israel fumes as Interpol approves membership for Palestine

Israel on Wednesday fumed over a vote by the Interpol that approved the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) as a member in the international police body.

Earlier in the day, Palestinian membership to the Interpol was approved by 74 to 24 votes, exceeding the two-thirds requirement of the yes-to-no ratio.

The decision was made despite Israel's diplomatic campaign to thwart the vote, Xinhua reported.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the approval. In a meeting in Jerusalem with the US President Donald Trump's special envoy Jason Greenblatt, and US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, Netanyahu charged that the resolution "violates signed agreements with Israel."

Netanyahu said the actions of the Palestinian leadership in recent days severely impairs the chances of achieving peace and added that the Palestinian diplomatic warfare would not go unanswered.

Israel's Minister of Environmental Protection, Zeev Elkin, who is also a close ally of Netanyahu, said Israel should "cancel gestures granted to the Palestinians," including work permits in Israel, and special travel permits for Palestinian leaders.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak condemned it as "yet another failure" for Netanyahu.

The PNA applauded the approval. "This victory was realised because the majority of the Interpol members defended the raisons d'etre of the organisation and basic principles," said Palestinian Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Minister Riad Malki.

He added that the approval reflects the trust of the international community in Palestine's capabilities.

"Palestine will commit to obligations and contribute to combating crime and law enforcement on the international level," Malki noted.

The move was part of the Palestinian campaign to gain international diplomatic recognition as a state.

Established in 1923, Interpol is the world's largest police organization aimed to struggle crime and terrorism. Currently, it has 192 members after the admission of Solomon Islands and Palestine on Wednesday.

--IANS

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