Interpol headquarters in France. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

JNS.org – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin announced Tuesday that the Jewish state has successfully foiled a Palestinian attempt to join Interpol, an intergovernmental organization that facilitates international police cooperation.

“This morning we foiled an attempt by the Palestinians to join Interpol,” Netanyahu said in a speech inaugurating a new railway system in the Jezreel Valley. “This would have constituted a change in Israel’s international status. The matter was achieved through intensive work by [Israeli] Foreign Office officials and the National Security Council, and I am grateful to them for their efforts.”

The bid to join Interpol is the latest attempt by the Palestinians to seek international support for their statehood bid. Interpol was set to vote on Palestinian membership at its upcoming general assembly in Bali, Indonesia. Israeli officials feared that sensitive information could be leaked to terrorists if the Palestinians joined the international body.

Netanyahu added, “The struggle with international bodies to represent our interests and those of many other countries will continue in the Security Council. Israel is breaking ground in the international arena, and this will be reflected at all of the UN’s institutions and in all other international institutions.”