JERUSALEM, Israel – Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz on Monday announced several initiatives aimed at strengthening the Palestinian Authority in its rivalry against the Hamas terror group.
The announcement came a day after Gantz met face-to-face with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the first high-level meeting between the two sides in years. The pair discussed security and economic issues during their meeting on Sunday, signaling a possible shift following the near-complete breakdown in communication between Palestinian and Israeli leaders.
After the meeting, Gantz confirmed on Monday that Israel plans to loan $150 million to the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank – biblical Judea and Samaria. The money will be repaid with tax funds Israel normally collects for Palestinians.
Israel will also authorize work permits for an additional 15,000 Palestinians to work in Israel. Additionally, the country will legalize thousands of undocumented foreign nationals who are married to Palestinians living in the West Bank.Hussein Al Sheikh, a senior Palestinian official, said an initial deal had been reached to resolve the status of some 5,000 families.
Gantz said Israel is taking these gestures to weaken Hamas and increase Israel’s security.
“The stronger the Palestinian Authority is, the weaker Hamas will be,” Gantz was quoted as telling Israeli military correspondents Monday. “And the greater its ability to govern is, the more security we’ll have and the less we’ll have to do.”
***Please sign up for CBN Newsletters and download the CBN News app to ensure you keep receiving the latest news from a distinctly Christian perspective.***
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s office said the meeting between Gantz and Abbas was not an indication that Israel will restart peace negotiations with the Palestinians.
Bennett has insisted that he will not hold peace negotiations and does not support the creation of a Palestinian state, but he says he will not annex parts of the West Bank.
“This government will neither annex nor form a Palestinian state, everyone gets that,” he told The New York Times last week. “I’m prime minister of all Israelis, and what I’m doing now is finding the middle ground — how we can focus on what we agree upon.”
Bennett has said he supports improving the Palestinian economy and bolstering Abbas in his rivalry with the Hamas terror group that rules Gaza.
The meeting came amid Bennett’s visit with US President Joe Biden in Washington. Biden supports a two-state solution and urged Bennett to take steps towards improving ties with the Palestinians.
The remainder of this article is available in its entirety at CBN
