Israel Trying to Prevent PA From Joining Interpol

Israel is working feverishly to prevent the Palestinian Authority from becoming a member of Interpol, the international law enforcement organization. Yisrael Hayom reported that Israeli officials were contacting representatives of many of the 190 member countries, asking them to vote against the PA’s membership.

The PA applied to join Interpol last October. The latter is set to hold a meeting this week, with approval of the request on the agenda. The request is one of many the PA has made to join international organizations.

Israel has been arguing that the PA has failed to enforce laws in its own territory, and would be unlikely to begin doing so with Interpol membership. The organization allows member countries to issue warrants for the arrest of suspects in cases where they flee to international destinations. Member countries are supposed to detain suspects and either try them locally or deport them. Israel says that it has asked the PA dozens of times to turn in terrorists, but has been refused each time.

Israel is reportedly concerned that the PA will use its membership to demand the extradition of IDF officers who kill terrorists or act against PA-sponsored terror attacks, the report said.