RAMALLAH, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Palestine on Monday accused the Israeli authorities of humiliating its Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki on his way to Cairo, according to an official statement.
Ahmad Al-Deek, the political advisor of Al-Maliki, said in a press statement that the Israeli authorities subjected Al-Maliki to "procedures and restrictions" while he was going through the crossing point on the border with Jordan as he left the West Bank for Cairo.
"Israel is trying to obstruct his (Maliki) movement to impede the work of Palestinian diplomacy in an explicit and clear targeting of the international political, diplomatic and legal movement that he leads," said the statement.
There was no immediate comment made by the Israeli authorities on the accusations.
Last week, the Israeli authorities withdrew the VIP passing card from Al-Maliki as he returned to the West Bank after a visit to Brazil.
The move came amid a series of Israeli punitive measures against the Palestinian Authority over its request to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague.
In December, the UN General Assembly, which includes 193 members, voted on a Palestinian draft resolution calling on the ICJ to express an opinion on the legal consequences of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories.
The resolution was supported by 87 member states, while 26 states voted against and 53 abstained. ■
