Skip to main content

Palestine’s admission to Interpol sparks angry response from Israel

In light of the ongoing US and Israeli stalemate to push peace talks, the Palestinians are taking matters into their own hands and recently joined Interpol.
RTS1DZLO.jpg
Read in 

The success of Palestine in joining Interpol, the world’s leading police network, can best be evaluated by the response of the Israeli government. After the initial stunned silence, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that the Palestinian action “will not go unanswered.”

Palestine achieved the legally needed two-thirds majority to join Interpol by a 75-24 secret vote with 34 members abstaining. During the Sept. 27 meeting of the 192-country organization in Beijing, Palestine became a full member of this international security organization. While Interpol has no specific sovereignty powers over any country, it is famous for its “red alert” information-sharing system in which member countries can alert fellow members of a wanted criminal. Israel fears that this alert system will be used to hound Israeli officials as they travel.

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.