(Jerusalem Post) Tovah Lazaroff - Last month, Israel granted the Palestinians an additional 5,000 permits to enter Israel for construction work, for a total of 24,500. As a gesture to PA President Mahmoud Abbas, the Defense Ministry wants to grant Palestinians an additional 6,000 permits. The idea of an additional 6,000 work permits came from the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), Maj.-Gen. Eitan Dangot, in collaboration with Israeli immigration authorities, the construction workers union and the Defense Ministry, the COGAT spokesman said. "We do not want the PA to crash," he said. Palestinians who work in Israel earn a salary that is 2.5 times higher than in a comparable job in the Palestinian territories, he said. A strong Palestinian economy and the Palestinian ability to earn a livable wage are key to improving stability and security in the West Bank, he said.
2012-08-17 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive