Israel Security Cabinet this week approved the issuing of 30,000 additional work permits for Palestinian Arabs who are seeking or have found employment inside Israel-proper.
Many of these Palestinians are employed in construction, agriculture, infrastructure and other public services. Securing such jobs in Israel is a highly coveted achievement, as the wages far outstrip what these workers would be paid by Palestinian employers.
A number of high-ranking government and defense officials, including Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon and IDF chief Gen. Gadi Eisenkot have been pushing for such a move
Some high-ranking officials from the government and the defense establishment, including Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon and Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot, have pushed for such a policy, arguing that it will provide a significant economic boost to the Palestinian economy.
It is Israel’s hope that by bettering the lives of average Palestinians, terrorism against Israel’s citizens will decline.
Education Minister Naftali Bennett, head of the right-wing Jewish Home party, suggested increasing the number of work permits to 100,000, according to a report in the Israeli business newspaper The Marker.
This development again demonstrated two truths often ignored or “lost in translation” in mainstream media reports:
- Despite enormous per capital financial aid, a Palestinian state established today would be unable to stand on its own two feet economically, and would remain inextricably tied to Israel economy, making it a sovereign state in name only;
- Often painted as enemies of peace, Israel’s right-wing, and in particular the settlement movement, is actually doing more than anyone else to help the Palestinians in practical ways that affect their day-to-day lives, like providing employment.
