Palestinian workers wait to cross to Israel at the Qalandia checkpoint near the West Bank city of Ramallah, May 3, 2020. Palestine and Israel have reached understandings to re-organize the entry of about 40,000 workers to Israel once again, a Palestinian official said on Friday. This step came after an Israeli decision a month ago prevented workers from going to their workplaces in Israel as a precautionary measure to avoid the spread of the novel coronavirus. (Photo by Luay Sababa/Xinhua)
RAMALLAH, May 1 (Xinhua) -- Palestine and Israel have reached understandings to re-organize the entry of about 40,000 workers to Israel once again, a Palestinian official said on Friday.
This step came after an Israeli decision a month ago prevented workers from going to their workplaces in Israel as a precautionary measure to avoid the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Nasri Abu Jeish, Palestinian Authority Minister of Labor, told Xinhua that the new understanding would be implemented on May 3.
All workers are going to get electronic permits that allow them to enter Israel for one time, while they can return after 30 days, the minister said.
Abu Jeish added that Palestinian specialized committees will monitor the process of workers' entry in order to compel them to abide by the preventive measures.
At the same time, the Israeli authorities will be obligated to provide housing and necessary medical care for workers' safety, the minister added.
The workers' return would be arranged after a month as the same mechanism to ensure the medical follow-up of their health status, according to Abu Jeish.
Meanwhile, Hebrew-language newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported on Wednesday that the Israeli government had approved a decision to allow thousands of workers from the West Bank to work in Israel.
Only 15,000 Palestinian laborers are currently working in Israel, much less than 65,000 workers in normal situation, according to the newspaper.
The newspaper said that the significant decrease in the number of Palestinian workers has negatively affected the construction and agriculture sectors. Enditem
