Israel's security establishment is leaning towards a plan that would allow about 10,000 Palestinians to resume working inside Israel, reported Haaretz on Monday.
According to the paper, Defense Minister Benjamin Ben Eliezer recently instructed the Shin Bet security agency, the Israeli army, and the coordinator of activities in the Occupied Territories to examine the possibility of gradually allowing Palestinian workers to enter Israel.
Permission would be issued in accordance with Israeli economic needs and security criteria to be determined by Shin Bet.
Ben Eliezer also approved the entry Monday of 5,000 Palestinians into Israel to work on harvesting olives in Arab villages. Security sources said the decision was made because of the urgent need for workers in the Arab farming sector.
The defense minister said that he saw "great importance in easing sanctions on the Palestinian population, in order to allow them the basic existence of some normal daily life."
Israel has been imposing a tight economic siege on the Occupied Palestinian Territories since the outbreak of the Intifada against 34 years of occupation.
About 125,000 Palestinian workers have lost their jobs in Israel due to security measures – Albawaba.com
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