Israel, PNA in row over forged identity card

Israel threatened to arrest the head of the Palestinian anti-corruption committee because it interrogated a suspect bearing an Israeli-issued ID card, a Palestinian official said Sunday. The suspect holding a special Israeli identity card was arrested a week ago for forging stamps and documents to evade customs on cars imported through Israel. After the Palestinian investigation body refused to release the suspect, Israel threatened to arrest Rafiq al-Natsha, the Palestinian head of the committee, said Saeed al-Hajj, an aide to Natsha. According to Hajj, the committee received the Israeli threats on phone before Israel officially requested the release of the suspect via the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). The PNA, in a bid to reduce corruption, established the committee in 2010 along with corruption tribunal. The committee questioned several PNA officials, including two members of the former government.