The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Israel withdrew the VIP card from Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki, in implementation of its decision to impose sanctions on the Palestinian Authority.
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that "the occupation authorities implemented their decision to withdraw the VIP card from Minister Al-Maliki during his return to the homeland (coming from Jordan) without giving any consideration to his location and legal status."
Al-Maliki's office said that the Israeli army detained the Palestinian minister for 30 minutes upon entering the West Bank from Jordan and confiscated his VIP card.
A spokesman for the Israeli Ministry of Defense confirmed what happened and described it as part of the implementation of a government decision issued on Friday.
"The implementation of this arbitrary measure is a flagrant violation of international law and the agreements and understandings signed between the Israeli and Palestinian sides," said Ahmad al-Deek, political advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Al-Maliki's comment on the decision
For his part, Al-Maliki said in an interview with the government-run Voice of Palestine radio, commenting on the total Israeli sanctions, that these sanctions "contradict international law." He added that he would send a letter to foreign ministers of all countries of the world informing them of the Israeli move, and asking them to take a position on it.
Israel grants a VIP card to the President of the Palestinian Authority, the Prime Minister, ministers, members of the Legislative Council and leaders of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the Central Committee and the Revolutionary Council of the Palestinian National Liberation Movement (Fatah).
The card entitles its holders to move freely in the West Bank and the 48 territories with their cars.
The Israeli authorities have withdrawn these cards from Palestinian officials several times.
Last Friday, the Israeli government approved 5 sanctions against the Palestinian Authority following their move in the United Nations institutions, including the withdrawal of the VIP card and the deduction of tens of millions of dollars from clearance funds, which are the taxes that Tel Aviv collects at the crossings on behalf of the Authority.
The government also decided to freeze Palestinian construction plans in Area C, which constitutes about 60% of the West Bank and is controlled by the Israeli occupation forces.
The crisis between the PA and Israel began on December 31, when the United Nations General Assembly voted in favor of a Palestinian decision to request an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on the nature of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories.
In the context, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant issued a decision to cancel the entry permits of 3 Fatah leaders, after they visited Karim Younis, the Palestinian prisoner who was released after 40 years spent in the occupation prisons.
The leaders of the Fatah movement - Mahmoud Al-Aloul, Azzam Al-Ahmad and Rawhi Fattouh - met with the released prisoner Karim Younes - who is from the town of Ara inside the Green Line - after his release last Thursday.