Israel regularizes 4,000 Palestinians in West Bank

Evoking a “humanitarian civilian gesture”, the Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz, explained that this decision was part of his policy “aimed at strengthening the economy and improving the lives of Palestinians in Judea-Samaria” .

Le Monde with AFP

This had not happened since 2009. Israel announced Tuesday 19 October the regularization of the status of 4,000 Palestinians residing in the occupied West Bank. In a statement, the Cogat, the Israeli organ responsible for coordinating the Civilian activities of the Israeli army in the occupied Palestinian territories, announced that “1,200 requests, from Palestinian residents living in Judea-Samaria [name given by Israel In the West Bank] for many years but who were not registered in the register of the Palestinian population, were approved “.

Evoking a “humanitarian civilian gesture”, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz, “said Twitter :

“These are residents who have been in Judea-Samaria for many years but who, for a variety of reasons, were not entitled to papers. This decision is part of my policy aimed at strengthening the economy and to improve the lives of Palestinians in Judea-Samaria. “

In addition, Cogat announced that 2,800 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and earning the West Bank before 2007 could make a change of address. Israel occupies the West Bank and Jerusalem since 1967.

Benyamin Netanyahou lamented this decision

At the end of August, Mr. Gantz went to the headquarters of the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah, in the West Bank, in order to discuss security and economy with the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas; Such an official meeting had not occurred for years.

Since the training, in June, the coalition government that ended twelve years of reign of Benyamin Netanyahu, two other Israeli ministers went to the headquarters of the Palestinian Authority: the Minister of Health, Nitzan Horowitz , and the Minister of Regional Cooperation, Issawi Frej.

The Head of Israeli Diplomacy, Yaïr Lapid, has recently proposed a plan to “improve” the living conditions of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip in exchange for a “calm” commitment on the part of the Islamist movement. Hamas, in power in this Enclave paused under Israeli blockade for nearly fifteen years.

Hussein al-Sheikh, responsible for civil affairs within the Palestinian Authority, on his side affirmed on Twitter , Tuesday:

“Four thousand names of people, who have obtained their right to citizenship, will receive a Palestinian identity card.”

The Head of the Israeli opposition, Mr. Netanyahu, has Lemoned this decision , affirming on the same social network as” the Bennett government, Lapid, Abbas accepts the sharing of Jerusalem and the family reunification “of the Palestinians.

/Media reports.