Palestinian Bid For Interpol Membership Fails

A Palestinian bid to join the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) was rebuffed Tuesday. 

Israel praised the decision as “an accomplishment and a triumph of Israeli diplomacy,” which it believes reflects a shift in favor of a more positive attitude towards Israel in the international community. 

The vote took place at Interpol’s 85th General Assembly in Bali, Indonesia. Sixty-two countries voted against the Palestinian request on the agenda. Many others abstained. 

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu concurred with the Foreign Ministry’s joint statement that the decision reflects an improvement in Israel’s international standing, saying, “It was a difficult effort, but it bore fruit.”