Israeli authorities are moving to impose sanctions on the Palestinian Authority (PA), reported the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation.
The authorities are considering revoking the VIP status of prominent officials and freezing economic projects in response to the authority’s cooperation with the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Kan state-owned channel reported that there will be no economic projects between Israel and Palestine and traffic permits will be withdrawn from officials.
The channel said that many countries contacted Israel in recent weeks to encourage economic cooperation between Tel Aviv and Ramallah, but Israeli officials asserted that it can’t happen until Palestinians declare they will not collaborate with the ICC.
The VIP status of Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki was revoked as he returned to the West Bank on Sunday.
Maliki was arrested along with other officials including Ambassadors Omar Awadallah and Ammar Hijazi, who were interrogated about the Foreign Ministry’s cooperation with the ICC and their meeting with chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda.
Maliki was returning from a diplomatic trip to Europe that included a meeting with Bensouda, who launched on March 3 an official investigation into crimes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, as well as in the Gaza Strip.
Bensouda sent a letter to Israel clarifying the scope of the war crimes probe which includes the 2014 war on Gaza, aggression against participants in the Return marches and the settlement policy.
Palestinians also filed several cases to Bensouda’s office including aggression against Gaza, use of excessive force, as well as massacres, and the killing of civilians.
They also addressed the settlement activities, and conditions inside Israeli prisons, including the mistreatment of prisoners and their families and medical negligence that led to the death of some detainees.
The Palestinians expect the investigation to begin with the settlement issue.
Bensouda gave Israel until April 9 to respond to her letter. A response is pending the Israeli elections and formation of the next cabinet.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh condemned Israel’s treatment of Maliki and his delegation.
"This extortion will not prevent justice from taking its course," he stressed.
