Despite the daily Arab terror attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has instructed the IDF to work towards the facilitation of daily life for the Arab population \"not involved in terror.\" Under the new framework, the Prime Minister appointed Foreign Minister Shimon Peres to oversee all of the activities in regard to easing restrictions on the Arabs within Yesha (Judea, Samaria, and Gaza).
The new policy calls for the limiting of curfew hours for PA residents, the partial lifting of roadblocks, the easing of conditions for entry into pre-1967 Israel, and the expansion of fishing zones off the Gaza coast. Israel has also agreed to grant an additional 5,000 work permits to PA residents for work in pre-1967 Israel, bringing the total number to 12,000.
In addition Prime Minister Sharon ordered that NIS 70 million in frozen tax revenues be immediately turned over to the PA. The funds will be handed over to PA Finance Minister Salam Fayyad, and Israel insists that they must be used for humanitarian purposes, and not to finance terror. Israel is expected to turn over an additional NIS 130 million in frozen monies in the near future.
Israel had originally requested that the United States oversee the transfer of the funds to ensure that the money would be used for humanitarian purposes only. However, those demands were dropped as a result of international pressure.
The new policy calls for the limiting of curfew hours for PA residents, the partial lifting of roadblocks, the easing of conditions for entry into pre-1967 Israel, and the expansion of fishing zones off the Gaza coast. Israel has also agreed to grant an additional 5,000 work permits to PA residents for work in pre-1967 Israel, bringing the total number to 12,000.
In addition Prime Minister Sharon ordered that NIS 70 million in frozen tax revenues be immediately turned over to the PA. The funds will be handed over to PA Finance Minister Salam Fayyad, and Israel insists that they must be used for humanitarian purposes, and not to finance terror. Israel is expected to turn over an additional NIS 130 million in frozen monies in the near future.
Israel had originally requested that the United States oversee the transfer of the funds to ensure that the money would be used for humanitarian purposes only. However, those demands were dropped as a result of international pressure.