Israel freezes monthly allowance to Palestinians over ICC approach

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanayhu has decided to freeze a monthly financial transfer to Palestinians in response to their president's approach to the International Criminal Court, Reuters reports.

Israel currently transfers about $125 million to Palestinians each month, which is used to run the government and pay civil servants. But Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' signing of documents needed to join the ICC sparked Israel's first sanction, and more could be on the way.

Israel condemned Abbas' Wednesday signing as a unilateral step in the ongoing peace negotiations between the two. Palestine's joining with the ICC could theoretically set up Israeli officials to be prosecuted for war crimes.

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