Israel’s socioeconomic cabinet will discuss letting Palestinian workers from the West Bank back into Israel on Sunday, as per the request of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The cabinet, headed by the prime minister, is set to discuss and agree on guidelines and recommendations for the entry of Palestinian workers ahead of the decision’s approval by the security cabinet, set to convene later on Sunday evening.
Since Hamas’s October 7 massacre and the subsequent launch of the IDF’s Operation Swords of Iron against the Palestinian terrorist group in Gaza, Israel has not allowed Palestinians, from both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, into Israel for work due to security concerns.
Palestinians lose jobs as Israel faces manpower shortage
However, in the wake of this decision, many important industries across the country were facing a shortage of manpower after most foreign workers left the country.
The government debated allowing some Palestinian workers into Israel, but the cabinet meeting ended without any decisions being made and another meeting was set to debate the issue.
Smotrich’s Finance Ministry objects to entry of Palestinian workers from West Bank
According to Israeli media, the Finance Ministry claimed that statistics presented by the Housing and Agricultural Ministries on manpower shortages “did not show a significant economic influence resulting from the ban [of Palestinian workers].”
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich was one of the ministers to publicly warn against such a move, writing last week that “the vast majority of Israeli citizens understand the dangers and that we cannot turn a blind eye to them.”
“Allowing Palestinian workers from the West Bank to return to work in Israel is wrong and dangerous.”
Minister Gideon Saar
Minister Gideon Sa’ar of the National Unity faction also criticized the decision, writing that “allowing Palestinian workers from the West Bank to return to work in Israel is wrong and dangerous.
“These are people who are drowning in incitement and hatred for Israel and the Jews. Israel must release Palestinian workers today and increase the number of foreign workers from friendly nations. No consideration is more important than the safety of Israel’s citizens.”
On Thursday, West Bank local authority leaders urged Netanyahu not to make any decisions about letting Palestinian workers into Israel without consulting them first.
Letting workers back will ‘escalate terror in the West Bank’
Letting workers back into Israel will “escalate terror in the West Bank,” a security source told Walla! on Sunday. “When discussing the reentry of workers, one must answer how it could affect the 500,000 settlers living in the West Bank.
“As per military estimates, it will increase hostility and certainly escalate terror,” the source added.
Ariella Marsden contributed to this report.
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