The Palestinian Authority has sent a letter to OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) nations asking them to reject Israel as a member. Israel is due to join the organization this summer, according to OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria.
Granting Israel membership would mean "accepting its occupation of the Palestinian territories," PA officials wrote. Israel should not be allowed OECD membership while it maintains a presence in Judea, Samaria, and eastern Jerusalem, they argued.
Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor Binyamin Ben-Eliezer criticized the PA leadership, and called the bid to block Israel’s OECD membership "grave."
PA officials may turn to Turkey in an attempt to keep Israel out of the international economic group. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly expressed support for PA Arabs against Israel, and some PA Arabs hope he will veto efforts to ratify Israel’s OECD membership.
Israel’s OECD bid also faces resistance from within Israel. Member of Knesset Ahmed Tibi has urged OECD members not to let Israel in, arguing that Israel discriminates against its Arab citizens.