Palestine joins Interpol as member state

Palestine joined Interpol as a member state yesterday after a vote at the international police organisation’s general assembly in Beijing.

“The State of Palestine and the Solomon Islands are now Interpol member countries,” the organisation said.

Riad Malki, the Palestinian foreign minister, hailed the vote as a “victory for law enforcement” and a “voice of confidence in the capacity of law enforcement in Palestine”.

Mr Malki promised to uphold Palestinian commitments to battle crime and strengthen the rule of law.

Israel had been trying to delay a vote on Palestinian membership until next year.

In retaliation for the Palestinians joining Interpol, Zeev Elkin, the Israeli minister of environmental protection and a close ally of prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel should cancel privileges granted to the Palestinians.

Those privileges included including work and entry permits and special travel permits for Palestinian leaders.

Interpol, an international clearing house for arrest warrants and police co-operation against crime across borders, now has 192 member countries.

Yesterday’s vote comes after the UN General Assembly recognised Palestine as a non-member observer state in 2012, and after it became a full member of Unesco in 2011.

Rami Hamdallah, the Palestinian prime minister, applied for Interpol membership in 2015 and submitted a formal letter in July this year, promising not to use the organisation “for any political, military, racial or religious interventions or activities”. Mr Hamdallah also promised to co-operate with Interpol activities, according to minutes of the meeting in Beijing.

The Palestinians are now required to pay membership of 0.03 per cent of the Interpol budget.