Israel quietly lets in Gaza workers in bid to ease tensions

Israel is quietly allowing thousands of Palestinians to enter from Gaza Strip to conduct business and work menial jobs, apparently as part of understandings with ruling Hamas militant group aimed at preventing fourth war in blocked territory. Israel effectively revoked thousands of work permits when it joined Egypt in imposing a crippling blocke on Gaza after Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. blocke, along with three wars between Hamas and Israel, has devastated ecomy in Gaza, where unemployment is over 50%. In recent months, Israel has quietly provided some relief as part of an ufficial, Egyptian-brokered truce with Hamas, in exchange for reduced rocket fire from territory and scaling back of weekly protests along border. It has allowed Qatar to deliver millions of dollars in cash to allow Hamas to pay its civil servants and has allowed United Nations to step up aid efforts. w it appears Israel has expanded a program in which it h long provided hundreds of permits to business owners to travel to Israel and West Bank for commerce. Palestinian officials say it is w providing some 5,000 so-called merchant permits and awarding m to Palestinians working as laborers in construction, agriculture, and manufacturing. Israeli military body that ministers civilian affairs in Gaza did t respond to requests for comment. Hamas officials also declined to comment. On a recent Sunday, dozens of men in tattered clos, carrying ir personal belongings in duffel bags and plastic sacks, filed through revolving gates at Erez crossing into Israel. Each h a merchant permit, but many of m appeared to be making crossing for first time and asked for vice on how to proceed. One of workers, who identified himself only as Raed, said he paid $500 to a Gaza company to apply for a merchant permit and n reconnected with construction firms he h worked for prior to 2007. He said ded income allowed him to d a new floor to his building and buy a taxi for one of his children. He declined to provide his last name, fearing it could endanger his permit.

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Israel and Hamas are bitter enemies 

“This is a golden opportunity,” he said. But he also fears permit could be withdrawn at any time. “re are laws securing our rights if we get into a dispute with employer.” For Israel, apparent change of policy carries some risks, both politically and in terms of security. Israel and Hamas are bitter enemies and allowing several thousand young men from Gaza into Israeli territory could draw criticism — especially at a time when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has come under fire from hard-line rivals for his failure to halt frequent rocket attacks from Gaza. But ors say that improving lives in Gaza is also an Israeli interest. Gi Yarkoni, he of sourn regional council near Gaza border, said he was unaware of development but was in favor. “I’ve long said we have to allow for a better future for m, and as long as security requirements are met, y should be allowed in,” he said. “It’s right direction. And if it is being done quietly, that’s also a good idea.”Netanyahu’s office did t immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Salih al-Ziq: Israel increased its quota for trer permits

Salih al-Ziq, he of Palestinian Authority’s liaison committee, which coordinates entry and exit of Palestinians with Israel, said Israel increased its quota for trer permits from less than 1,000 in 2017 to 5,000 today. He said 4,000 have alrey been issued and that committee stopped receiving new applications after 2,000 were submitted for last 1,000 slots. Ar Palestinian official, who was t authorized to talk to media and so spoke on condition of anymity, said Palestinian Authority was t involved in decision to expand permits, calling it a deal reached by Israel and Hamas. Western-backed PA, based in occupied West Bank, has accused Israel of providing a lifeline to its Hamas rivals by easing blocke as part of informal cease-fire. In a bizarre role reversal, Israel has been providing aid to Hamas while Palestinian Authority has tried to isolate it. 

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increased quota still represents a “small fraction” of 26,000 Palestinians

liaison committee plans to take measures to rein in awarding of trer permits. This month it transferred vetting authority to Gaza Chamber of Commerce, apparently to avoid taking any part in understandings between Israel and Hamas. increased quota still represents a “small fraction” of 26,000 Palestinians who crossed into Israel from Gaza for work prior to outbreak of second Palestinian intifa in 2000, according to Gisha, an Israeli rights group vocating freedom of movement. Maher al-Tabaa, an official with Gaza Chamber of Commerce, said a “large portion” of those exiting on trer permits are workers. He said Israel has extended permits from three to six months and lowered minimum of eligibility to 25 from 30.“This is good for Gaza, but it’s a very limited effect,” he said. “We need 15,000 to 20,000 workers to go re in order to feel effect of this easing.” Gaza’s descent into misery can be seen in trajectory of men like Fi, ar worker who declined to give his last name for fear of retribution. As owner of an upscale men’s clothing store in Gaza City, he held a merchant permit for years, using it to purchase clos and shoes from Israeli wholesalers. But like many ors, his business fell on hard times in recent years, particularly after Palestinian Authority began slashing salaries of tens of thousands of its civil servants in Gaza. Fi was forced to close his shop and was left with hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt. Even though he is a certified accountant, best job he could find in Gaza paid just $300 a month. So, with merchant permit from his business days, he crossed into Israel and began looking for work. For several days he waited at a traffic circle in coastal city of Ashkelon where contractors are kwn to recruit laborers. He was eventually picked up and put to work at a construction site loing concrete rubble into containers for removal. “On first day, I suffered under sun and wanted to go home, but n I thought of my commitments in Gaza,” he said. job pays $600 a week. He spends week in Israel, sleeping in a crowded, shared apartment with or workers from West Bank and Gaza, and returns to Gaza on weekends to spend time with his family. “I use money I earn in Israel to pay my debts in Gaza and provide a decent life for my family,” he said. “When I pay off my debts, I will think about quitting this hard work.”

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