JERUSALEM, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Israel announced on Wednesday that it will increase the number of work permits for Palestinians from the occupied West Bank by 16,000 to 105,000.
Israel plans to increase 15,000 work permits for Palestinian workers in the field of construction, and 1,000 in the hotel industry, according to a statement by the office of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), Israel's military liaison to the Palestinians.
This plan is expected to strengthen the economies of Israel and the Palestinian Authority, contributing to stability and security in the region, said Rassan Aliyan, COGAT chief, in the statement.
The plan was announced following a talk held last week between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz.
Israel captured territories in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war and has controlled them ever since. Israel bans the entry of Palestinians unless they have special permits issued by the military. Enditem