Israel on Sunday revoked the VIP permit of Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki after he returned to the West Bank from a trip to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Israeli and Palestinian officials confirmed.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
A PA official said Maliki was stopped Sunday as he entered the West Bank from Jordan through the Allenby Bridge crossing. Maliki's VIP card was seized, the official said. Losing VIP status makes it harder for him to move through IDF checkpoints in Judea and Samaria, and means he will need Israeli permission to travel abroad.
The revocation of a PA official's VIP status is a step Israel has not taken for years. Israeli officials said that the decision to revoke his status was a response to the PA's ICC lawsuit, as well as its ongoing attempts to smear Israel in other international organizations.
Since the Palestinian ICC case hopes, among other things, to hamper freedom of movement for Israeli officials, Israel has decided that Maliki – who is spearheading the legal proceedings – should no longer enjoy extra privileges at the border. He retains the same rights as any other Palestinian citizen, officials said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office also declined comment.
Ahmed al-Deek, an official at Maliki's office, told Reuters the Israeli move was linked to Maliki's meeting with ICC lead prosecutor Fatou Bensouda.
"This is the Foreign Minister of the State of Palestine. He doesn't represent himself. He represents the State of Palestine, and we regard this as an attack against the State of Palestine," said Deek.
He added that Israeli officers detained and questioned Maliki's aides for 90 minutes.
Deek said that the minister left the crossing without the card. It was not clear when it would be returned to him.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
