Israel could allow 30,000 more Palestinian workers into the country

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JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel will allow 30,000 more Palestinian workers into Israel if the full Cabinet approves the plan.

The Security Cabinet approved the plan on Sunday, Haaretz reported. Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon had approved it last month.

The Palestinians would be required to pass a screening by the Shin Bet security service. They would be working in construction, infrastructure, manufacturing, services and agriculture.

Only two attacks in the recent wave of terrorism against Israelis have been perpetrated by Palestinians working legally in Israel, according to Haaretz.

Unnamed senior security sources told Haaretz that a policy of reserving jobs for Palestinians in Israel has been shown to restrain terror.

Some 58,000 Palestinians have legal permits to work in Israel, and another 30,000 work in Israel illegally, according to Haaretz. Some 27,000 Palestinians work in West Bank settlement industrial zones.

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