Israel could allow 30,000 more Palestinian workers into the country

Marcy Oster

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel will allow 30,000 more Palestinian workers into Israel if the full Cabinet approves the plan.

The plan was approved by Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon last month and by the Security Cabinet on Sunday, Haaretz reported on Monday.

The Palestinians would work in construction, infrastructure, manufacturing, services, and agriculture. They would be required to pass a screening by the Shin Bet security service.

Only two attacks in the recent wave of terrorism against Israelis have been perpetrated by Palestinians working legally in Israel, according to Haaretz.

Unnamed senior security sources told Haaretz that a policy of reserving jobs for Palestinians in Israel has been shown to restrain terror.

Some 58,000 Palestinians have legal permits to work in Israel, and another 30,000 work in Israel illegally, according to Haaretz.  Some 27,000 Palestinians work in West Bank settlement industrial zones.

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