Israel has been accepted as a member of a global inter-governmental body dedicated to combating money laundering and terrorism financing, a step that could help it influence policy against regional foes, the Justice Ministry said on Monday.
The Financial Action Task Force confirmed Israel's inclusion as its 38th member.
Shlomit Wagman-Ratner, head of the Justice Ministry's anti- money laundering and terrorism financing department, said joining the FATF was a national strategic objective.
The Paris-based FATF said that Israel had been an observer in the organisation since February 2016 and that its upgrade to membership followed "successful mutual evaluation".
"During this demanding process, the country demonstrated its commitment to protect the integrity of the financial system," FATF President Marshall Billingslea said.
