Israel threatens to punish PA after UN Human Rights probe

Israeli newspaper Haaretz Sunday published that Israel is considering taking punitive actions against the Palestinian Authority (PA), following the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) ordering of a probe into how Israeli settlements infringe on the rights of Palestinians. Three members of the forum of eight Israeli senior minister support freezing PA’s tax revenues; Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Ya'alon and Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz. The forum will meet in Jerusalem later this day to discuss the UN human rights council’s decision. Israeli senior officials in the Prime Minister's Bureau and the Foreign Ministry said Israel will not cooperate with the UN committee; while Lieberman said he was considering asking the United States and other members of the council to resign from the HRC, said Haartez. Israel cut off its transfer of tax revenue’s to the PA following the Palestinian bid and UNESCO’s decision to grant PA full-membership.