The Zionist entity denied three future Palestinian ministers from the Gaza Strip entry to the West Bank ahead of the unveiling of a new unity government, a senior source said Sunday.

The Zionist entity denied three future Palestinian ministers from the Gaza Strip entry to the West Bank ahead of the unveiling of a new unity government, a senior source said Sunday.

The three ministers elect had applied to cross from Gaza to the West Bank on Thursday, but their application was immediately rejected, a senior Palestinian official responsible for coordinating exits and entries told AFP.

"We sent the application in on Thursday and explained that these officials are to be sworn in as ministers in Ramallah, but Israel immediately rejected the application," he told AFP on condition of anonymity.

COGAT, the Israeli defense ministry unit responsible for Palestinian civilian coordination, refused to comment on the matter, as did the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, AFP reported.

Earlier, public radio said COGAT head Major General Yoav Mordechai had vetoed the request, without saying why.

The news emerged as Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmoud Abbas said the Zionist entity had informed him it would cut all ties with his incoming interim government, which is to be sworn in at his West Bank headquarters on Monday.

And he also warned in remarks late on Saturday that the Palestinians would respond to every punitive step taken by Israel in respect to the new government.