Israel planning to increase work permits for palestinians
By Trend
The government is likely to approve 7,500 additional permits for
Palestinians to work in Israel, a top general said on Thursday,
The Jerusalem Post
reports.
Some 100,000-110,000 Palestinians currently work in Israel,
including 30,000-40,000 laborers without permits, while 30,000 work
in West Bank settlements.
“There will probably be an approval of a government [measure]
next week, which... would increase the number of work permits by
7,500,” according to Maj.-Gen. Yoav Mordechai, who heads the branch
of the Defense Ministry that is responsible for liaising with
Palestinians.
A security official said the permits would only be granted to
Palestinians in the West Bank.
According to the World Bank, unemployment in the West Bank in 2016
stood at around 18%.
Palestinian Authority Labor Minister Mamoun Abu Shahala said that
while he has not been officially informed of the probable Israeli
decision to increase work permits, he would welcome such a
move.
“The situation is difficult and unemployment is high,” he said in a
phone call. “We would welcome any decision to raise the number of
work permits.”
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