Dmitriy Feldman svarshik / Shutterstock.com
Israel is set to increase the number of work permits for West Bank Palestinians by 16,000 amid calls by Israeli officials to strengthen the ailing Palestinian Authority economy.
According to Israel’s Defence Ministry, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) informed senior Palestinian officials on Wednesday of the intention to offer additional permits.
The plan was first announced by Regional Affairs Minister Issawi Frej, who said he had developed the initiative along with Housing Minister Ze’ev Elkin. Around 87,000 Palestinians work legally in Israel, according to official figures, and another 35,000 work in Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The vast majority work in agriculture and construction. Most of the new permits (some 15,000) will be issued specifically for construction workers, according to the proposal. Another 1,000 will be granted for Palestinians who work at hotels across Israel.
