Israel to grant legal residence permit to 4,000 Palestinians in occupied West Bank & Gaza
Israel said it would grant legal residency to 4,000 Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. Now they can roam freely after getting their IDs.
- World News
- 2 min read
In a major relief for Palestinians, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett-led Israeli government on Tuesday announced to grant legal residency to at least 4,000 Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. With this move, the people who were living in the fear of being deported anytime can roam around freely after getting their identity cards. The major development came nearly two months after a rare high-level meeting was held between Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. At that time, they affirmed strengthening the Palestinian National Authority (PA).
Notably, Palestinian Authority has limited authority in the West Bank and has to be primarily dependent on Israeli forces for security. It is worth mentioning the newly appointed Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is trying to reinforce the increasingly unpopular and autocratic PA. According to the officials who speak to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity as they are not allowed to speak to the media, they said, "Naftali wants to weaken its militant Hamas rivals, who rule the Gaza Strip over the years and that is the main reason he is trying to maintain peace in the area."
Israel gives $155 million loan to cash-strapped PA
Apart from providing nationality to 4,000 people, Bennett also offered a loan of $155 million to the cash-strapped PA and authorized an additional 15,000 permits for Palestinian labourers to work in Israel and its settlements. It is also tried its best to build and expand settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Notably, the area has been controversial for decades after Israel captured it in 1967-- a domain that the Palestinians want for their future state.
Apart from settling down the people, Bennett has also taken several other steps to improve the Palestinian economy and daily life in order to reduce frictions. "The stronger the Palestinian Authority is, the weaker Hamas will be," Gantz was quoted as saying after his meeting with Abbas. "And the greater its ability to govern is, the more security we’ll have and the less we’ll have to do," he added.