The controversial meeting between Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has led to the Defense Ministry extending a gesture to the PA – the approval of 4,000 undocumented Arabs living in Juda and Samaria.

The move follows a period of ten years in which virtually no similar requests were authorized.

Israel’s military liaison to the Palestinians, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), informed Palestinian Authority representatives on Tuesday morning that 1,200 registration applications of Palestinian residents living in Judea and Samaria have been approved. Another 2,800 Palestinians who were born in the Gaza Strip and moved to Judea and Samaria before Hamas took control of the Strip in 2007 will have their addresses legalized.

The registration applications require Israel’s approval according to the accords signed by Israel and the PA.

“All the requests that were approved have a humanitarian background,” COGAT stated. “Each application is thoroughly examined and approved subject to security approval by the relevant security agencies in Israel. In all cases, these are Palestinians who have been in Judea and Samaria for many years.”

MK Betzalel Smotrich responded to the report by stating: “Ten degrees to the right of the post-Zionist era. This government is irresponsible and dangerous for the future of the State of Israel.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)