Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor Binyamin “Fouad” Ben-Eliezer met Thursday with Palestinian Authority official Hassan abu-Libda, who holds the PA's finance portfolio. The two discussed an impending PA boycott of Israeli workplaces in Judea and Samaria.
Ben-Eliezer told Libda that Israel is not pleased by the PA's decision to forbid PA Arabs to work in Israeli-owned factories in Judea and Samaria. However, he said, Israel is preparing for the move, and will assist Israeli workplaces in replacing their PA employees with Israeli citizen workers.
Tens of thousands of PA workers are expected to be affected by the boycott. They will be required to quit their jobs working for Israelis and seek employment in PA-controlled regions, where unemployment is high.
Libda brought up the PA's interest in observer status in the World Trade Organization, and asked Israel to help the PA reach that goal.
He also brought up limits on PA commerce due to security concerns, and asked Ben-Eliezer to relax current restrictions. Among other things, Libda sought to end Israeli restrictions on the import of dual purpose materials and to ease the movement of goods and people between Judea, Samaria and Gaza.
The meeting between Ben-Eliezer and Libda was “very positive,” ministry officials said. The two agreed to meet regularly to discuss issues of joint concern.