Nations express ‘deep concern’ at Israeli punitive measures

UNITED NATIONS (AP):

More than 90 countries have expressed “deep concern” at Israel’s recent punitive measures against the Palestinians, steps taken in response to a UN request for the International Court of Justice to render an opinion on the Israeli occupation.

In a statement released Monday by the Palestinians, the signatories called for a reversal of the Israeli measures, saying that regardless of their position on the General Assembly’s resolution, “we reject punitive measures in response to a request for an advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice”.

Israel’s Foreign Minister Eli Cohen rejected their statement on Tuesday. “Meaningless statements and signatures will not stop us from making the right decisions that will protect our citizens and secure our future,” he said.

The 193-member General Assembly voted 87-26 with 53 abstentions on December 30 in favour of the resolution to ask the International Court of Justice to intervene in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The request was promoted by the Palestinians and opposed vehemently by Israel. Even though rulings by the International Court of Justice are not legally binding, they can be influential on world opinion.

Israel’s new hard-line government responded on January 6, approving steps to penalise the Palestinians in retaliation. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told a meeting of his Cabinet that the measures against the Palestinians were aimed at what he called “an extreme anti-Israel” step at the United Nations.

The government’s Security Cabinet decided to withhold $39 million from the Palestinian Authority and transferring the funds instead to a compensation programme for the families of Israeli victims of Palestinian militant attacks.

It also decided to deduct the amount of revenue Israel typically transfers to the cash-strapped Palestinian Authority by a sum equal to the amount paid last year to families of Palestinian prisoners and those killed in the conflict, including militants implicated in attacks against Israelis. The Palestinian leadership describes the payments as necessary social welfare, while Israel says the so-called Martyrs’ Fund incentivises violence.

The Security Cabinet also targeted Palestinian officials directly, saying it would deny benefits to “VIPs who are leading the political and legal war against Israel”. The first Palestinian affected was Foreign Minister Riad Malki who said on January 8 that he was returning from the Brazilian president’s inauguration when he was informed that Israel rescinded his VIP travel permit, which allows top Palestinian officials to travel more easily in and out of the occupied West Bank than ordinary Palestinians.