Israeli parliament likely to approve bill denying PA from petitioning High Court

Israel's parliament is expected to approve a bill which would deny the Palestinian Authority the right to petition Israeli courts. 

The ministerial committee on legislation is expected to approve the bill on Sunday, which was put forward by far-right lawmaker Simcha Rothman, chair of parliament's constitution committee.

It would mean the PA cannot submit petitions to Israel's High Court, or file lawsuits to Israeli courts. 

According to Israeli news outlet Ynet, the bill has the support of both right-wing and centrist factions. 

The amendment reads: "The purpose of the bill is to correct a distortion according to which elements hostile to the state of Israel, including those who work directly and in a declared way to harm its citizens through acts of terrorism, are considered to have the right to stand before the High Court when they come to petition against the policies of the Israeli government."

Rothman accused the PA of paying salaries to the families of "terrorists". 

The PA has long claimed that payments to the families of prisoners are a form of welfare to those who have lost their breadwinner, and denies the funds seek to encourage violence.