Israel on Saturday revoked the entry permits of three Palestinian Authority (PA) officials who paid visits to an Arab terrorist released from Israeli prison after serving 40 years for the murder of an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldier.
The decision is part of the Israeli government's response to the PA's "decision to wage political and legal war against the State of Israel" by initiating an anti-Israel motion at the United Nations.
Israel's Security Cabinet said it will deny entry to the Jewish state to “VIPs who are leading the political and legal war against Israel.” Top PA officials receive Israeli permits that allow them to travel easily in and out of the West Bank.
A statement by the office of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant named the trio of Palestinian officials as Mahmoud Aloul, Azzam Ahmad and Rawhi Fattouh.
Last week they met with Karim Younis, an Arab-Israeli released after serving a 40-year prison sentence for the 1983 murder of Israeli soldier Avi Bromberg.
Upon release, Younis said that he was "very proud to be one of those who made sacrifices for Palestine and we were ready to sacrifice more for the sake of the cause of Palestine."
"The three men took advantage of their status and entered Israel this morning (Saturday) to travel to the home of the terrorist Karim Yunis," the Defense Ministry statement read.
Aloul is the deputy of PA President Mahmoud Abbas and one of the leading candidates to succeed the aging leader.