Palestine granted membership of Interpol

The Palestinian Authority (PA) has gained another victory in its drive for international recognition of a Palestinian state as Interpol approved its bid for membership of the organisation today.

Despite Israeli efforts to block Palestinian ascension to major global institutions, the world’s largest international police organisation, with 192 member countries, approved the Palestinian bid during its annual general assembly meeting in Beijing today.

“The State of Palestine and the Solomon Islands are now Interpol member countries,” an Interpol tweet read.

#NEWS: The State of Palestine and the Solomon Islands become INTERPOL member countries – Full story: https://t.co/UI1hBRrNsF #INTERPOLGA pic.twitter.com/ooxyWmSV1L

— INTERPOL (@INTERPOL_HQ) September 27, 2017

Palestinian membership of Interpol, which is based in the French city of Lyon, will ease the exchange of information between police forces across the globe.

More than 75 per cent of Interpol members are said to have voted to approve the Palestinian bid. Speaking about his country’s successful application, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Malki said in a statement: “Palestine’s membership is the outcome of members defending this organisation’s raison d’etre and advancing its core values, and a clear rejection of attempts at cynical manipulation and political bullying.”

This is the latest chapter in the long history of the Palestinian campaign for statehood. Despite the fact that their right to self-determination was recognised before the creation of Israel, Palestinian self-rule has faced one obstacle after another.

Read: Israel seeks to block PA from Interpol membership

During 1989, the Palestinian pursuit for a national home gained momentum when the PLO gained the recognition of 94 states at the United Nations. While their campaign for recognition has gone from strength to strength over the past few years, which saw Palestinians being granted observer status at the UN in 2012, Israel has continued to change facts on the ground to prevent any chance of a Palestinian state being created by its side.

Senior Palestinian official Jibril Rajoub told AFP news agency on Sunday that “we’re looking to be in all of the international institutions, including Interpol, as an organised state.” Commenting on Israel’s opposition he said: “They don’t want any progress toward a Palestinian state.”

“Israel does not want us to be in FIFA. How would they want us to be in Interpol?” he continued.