A Palestinian National Authority (PNA) court charged on Sunday two local Palestinian companies in the West Bank with dealing with Israeli-made products.

It is the first time that such a Palestinian court has charged local companies for dealing with products made in Israel since the PNA was established in 1994, according to Palestinian officials.

The Anti-Economic Crimes Court in Ramallah said in an emailed statement that it decided to charge the two companies after they dealt with banned products made in Israel.

The statement said that the two companies violated the decision of the PNA unity government's decision issued on March 22 that prohibits dealing, allowing or marketing Israeli products in the local Palestinian markets.

"The two companies are going to be charged and sued by the court," said the statement.

Meanwhile, the PNA Ministry of Economy decided to ban the marketing of products of five major Israeli food companies in the Palestinian markets.

The ministry revealed in a statement that three Palestinian merchants were taken to court after they were caught trying to smuggle products of the five Israeli companies to the West Bank.

The PNA's strict decision was made in response to Israeli decision of banning the distribution of food products of five Palestinian companies in East Jerusalem in the Palestinian territories, mainly in the West Bank.

Source: Xinhua