Benny Gantz
Benny GantzAvshalom Sassoni/Flash90

The Coordinator for Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), Major-General Rasan Alian, on Tuesday announced to representatives of the Palestinian Authority (PA) that 1,200 requests for registration in the population records were approved.

In addition, a change of address was approved for 2,800 PA Arabs who are registered in the PA population records and who were born in Gaza but chose to move to Judea and Samaria prior to the year 2007.

"All of the requests approved were [approved] for humanitarian reasons, and each request is thoroughly examined and will be approved in accordance with security approval by the relevant security bodies in Israel," the Defense Ministry said. "In all of the cases, these are Palestinians who have been in Judea and Samaria for many years."

Defense Minister Benny Gantz (Blue and White) said, "In a humanitarian and civil step, I approved this morning the updating of details for around 4,000 Palestinians in Judea and Samaria."

"These are residents who are in Judea and Samaria for many years, but for various reasons did not qualify for documentation. This step is part of my policy to support the economy and improve the lives of the Palestinians in Judea and Samaria."

Approval for registration in the PA population record is given according to three humanitarian criteria: residents who left Gaza before 2007 and have lived continuously in Judea and Samaria; residents who live in the area, for various reasons never had a PA identity card; and PA Arabs who traveled abroad and returned before the agreements, but their documentation was taken from them, and who have lived in the area for dozens of years.

The status has been granted only to those Arabs who live in the Palestinian Authority-controlled areas. It will not be granted to those who live abroad.

Under the agreements between the State of Israel and the Palestinian Authority, the PA's population registration is under PA control.