After losing vote in UN, Israel confiscates 'VIP' pass of Palestinian FM

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 8

After losing a vote at the UN General Assembly (UNGA), Israel has suspended the “VIP” pass of Palestinian Foreign Minister, which allowed him to travel in and around the occupied West Bank.

Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki’s travel card was confiscated by the Israeli border personnel as soon he crossed from Jordan into the occupied West Bank, said his office.

The resolution “Israeli practices and settlement activities affecting the rights of the Palestinian people and other Arabs of the occupied territories” was adopted by UNGA on December 30 with 87 votes in favour, 26 against and 53 abstentions. India had abstained the vote.

As per the resolution, the International Court of Justice will now be asked to “render urgently an advisory opinion” on “the legal consequences arising from the ongoing violation by Israel of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, settlement and annexation of the Palestinian territory”.

The Israeli Defence Ministry said the confiscation of four “VIP” passes was part of the implementation of a government decision taken on Friday. The other three “VIP” passes of senior Palestinian officials had been revoked in response to a visit to a person of Arab minority in Israel who was imprisoned for killing an Israeli soldier.

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