The Palestinian Authority in the West Bank is seeking a full membership with the International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO), internationally known as Interpol, and will be submitting an official application to the organization this coming August.
Brigadier Yousef ‘Ezraeel, head of the National Anti-Drug and Crime Force in Palestine, told the Maan News Agency that the Palestinian application will be submitted in August so that a vote on the application can be held during the Interpol annual meeting this November.
He stated that the Interpol is one of the international organizations that the P.A plans to join, and added that the application must be submitted three months prior to the annual Interpol meeting.
He further stated that the Executive Committee of the Interpol must first adopt the application before it is submitted for a vote, adding that the Palestinian leadership and the Ministry of Interior are holding talks with different countries in this regard, especially with Qatar and Algeria, as the two Arab countries are members of the Interpol’s Executive Committee.
Brigadier ‘Ezraeel said that a successful vote requires two thirds plus one, and added that Palestine contacted different member countries and managed to garner the needed support for the vote.
He stated that Palestine wants to join the Interpol in order to fight crime, punish criminals and fight corruption in Palestine, and different parts of the world as well.
On March 26, Palestinian head of the anti-corruption committee, Rafiq Al-Natsha, stated that the Palestinian Authority has a limited Interpol membership, an issue that does not allow the P.A. To issue international arrest warrants against Palestinian officials convicted of corruption and living abroad.
In November of 2012, the Palestinian Authority managed to obtain a non-member observer state status at the United Nations General Assembly. The vote granted the P.A. The ability to file for membership in different international organizations.
The Interpol was established in 1923 and was knows as the International Criminal Police Commission (ICPC), and adopted the name (Interpol) in 1956.
There are 190 countries that are members of the Interpol, and its headquarters are located in Lyon in France. The Interpol is considered the second largest international organization after the United Nations.
