JERUSALEM, Jan 8 (Reuters) – Israel suspended on Sunday a pass that eased the Palestinian international minister’s journey in and across the occupied West Bank, as a part of its response to Palestinian efforts to contain the International Court of Justice (ICJ) within the battle.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing safety cupboard on Friday introduced a collection of steps, which additionally included utilizing Palestinian cash to compensate victims of Palestinian militant assaults and imposing a moratorium on Palestinian development in some areas of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Israel collects tax cash on behalf of the Palestinian Authority.
Israeli border workers confiscated Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki’s “VIP” journey card as he crossed from Jordan into the occupied West Bank, his workplace stated.
A spokesperson for Israel’s Defence Ministry, which administers the West Bank, confirmed the move, calling it a part of the implementation of Friday’s authorities choice.
In televised remarks to the Israeli cupboard on Sunday, Netanyahu stated the choice entailed, amongst different measures, “sanctions against senior Palestinian figures”.
“The Palestinian Authority has promoted an extremist anti-Israeli resolution at the United Nations,” Netanyahu stated.
The U.N. General Assembly, responding to an enchantment by the Palestinians, on Dec. 30 requested the ICJ for an opinion on the authorized penalties of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories.
On Saturday, Israel’s Defence Ministry stated the VIP playing cards of three different senior Palestinian officers had been revoked in response to them visiting a member of Israel’s Arab minority who had been imprisoned for killing an Israeli soldier.
Issued beneath interim accords with Israel from the Nineteen Nineties, the playing cards ease journey throughout the Israeli-controlled West Bank border with Jordan and from Palestinian-ruled territory into Israel.
“The international minister will proceed his job and his diplomatic actions with or with out the cardboard,” Ahmed Al-Deek, an aide to Maliki, advised Reuters.
Israel had confiscated Maliki’s VIP card in 2021 after he returned from a gathering of the International Criminal Court. It was not instantly clear when and why the cardboard had been restored.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, during a briefing with reporters, said he approved the distribution of roughly 139 million shekels ($40 million) of frozen Palestinian funds to victims of Palestinian attacks.
“There is not any justice higher than deducting cash from the (Palestinian) Authority that labored to assist terrorism and transferring it to the households of victims of terrorism,” he stated.
Palestinian officers have condemned the Israeli measures and stated they’ll proceed making an attempt to achieve assist overseas.
($1 = 3.5028 shekels)
Reporting by Ali Sawafta, Nidal al-Mughrabi, Emily Rose; writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle, Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Barbara Lewis
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