Defense Minister Moshe Dayan visited Gaza today and urged local Arab leaders to undertake their own self-government to replace the Israeli-appointed town council. He suggested that they appoint a council from among their own numbers. Dayan told reporters later that he was satisfied with the situation in the Gaza Strip.
He said the population was more inclined than previously to cooperate with Israeli military authorities although he acknowledged that Arabs in Gaza would prefer to be part of Egypt or Jordan.
Dayan met with 17 Arab notables to discuss local problems, one of the most serious of which is the labor shortage. The Arabs complained that most Gaza workers take jobs in Israel where they are paid higher wages. Dayan said he could not prevent laborers from seeking better paying jobs. He suggested that Gaza employers pay more if they want to keep the workers at home.
He said he had recommended to Histadrut that it organize labor in the Gaza Strip. So far no move has been made in that direction.
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