Israel will start to lift a series of restrictions on the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday due to a significant drop in violence in the area, Israeli commanders and their Palestinian counterparts agreed in a security meeting held Monday night.
The Israeli army also declared Monday that it would start to ease restrictions on Palestinians in the Bethlehem area as of Wednesday.
According to the Israeli army evaluations, violence in the area has been reduced, and a series of bans are to be lifted in this West Bank city, including: Palestinian laborers will be allowed to enter Israel, teachers to travel to schools, clergymen to travel between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, and merchandise to leave Bethlehem.
In the security meeting, the Palestinians were asked to reduce the violence in the Gaza Strip.
Israel pledged to ease restrictions on Palestinians traveling from the north to the south of the Strip, and to raise the number of Palestinian workers allowed to enter Israel.
The Israeli side described the meeting as "positive," Haaretz reported. Military and Shin Bet sources said that during the past two days there has been a reduction in the number of violent incidents in the Gaza Strip. (Albawaba.com)
