Israel has designated Mondays and Thursdays as the days when persons holding permits to establish permanent residence on the West Bank under the family re-union plan may cross over the East Bank. A total of 22 permit holders was admitted yesterday in addition to two children who had no permits.
But the re-union plan is lagging, Israeli authorities report. Since a 10-day suspension was lifted last Friday, only 31 persons have crossed although the applications of 200 have been approved and turned over to the International Red Cross. The plan was suspended by Israel while Jordanian authorities delayed the return of the body of an Israeli fighter pilot who was shot down over Jordan in a clash last month. The body was returned last Friday.
Meanwhile, the military government announced that it has relaxed its restrictions on visits by West Bank residents to Jordan and at least a dozen crossed the river yesterday for business or family reasons. Israel authorities said they might permit traffic in the opposite direction if Jordanian authorities agreed. Up to now, only goods for market are permitted by Jordan to move in both directions and truck-drivers are required to return within a specified time limit.
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