The Latest: Minister praises Interpol vote on Palestine

PARIS – The Latest on Interpol voting to include Palestine as a member (all times local):

12:20 p.m.

The Palestinian foreign minister says Interpol's decision to include the "State of Palestine" as a member is a "victory for law enforcement."

Riad Malki said in a statement Wednesday that the vote by the Interpol general assembly "is the voice of confidence in the capacity of law enforcement in Palestine." He promised to uphold Palestinian commitments to combating crime and strengthening the rule of law.

The Israeli government did not immediately comment on the vote. Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak called it "another failure" for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The U.N. General Assembly recognized Palestine as a non-member observer state in 2012 and UNESCO approved it as a full member. Opponents say recognizing Palestine in international organizations undermines long-stalled negotiations with Israel for full statehood.

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11:50 a.m.

International police agency Interpol has voted to include the "State of Palestine" as a member, in a new boost to Palestinian efforts for international recognition.

Interpol announced the inclusion of the "State of Palestine" as well as the Solomon Islands on Twitter and its website Wednesday after a vote by its general assembly in Beijing.

With the new votes, Interpol will have 192 member countries. Interpol didn't immediately announce how many members supported Palestinian membership. UNESCO also approved Palestinian membership, prompting the U.S. and Israel to suspend funding out of protest.

Interpol, based in Lyon, France, is an international clearinghouse for arrest warrants and police cooperation against cross-border crime.