BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) -- Tens of thousands of Palestinians from the West Bank were granted permits from the Israeli authorities to visit Jerusalem and cities across Israel during Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr holiday.
As the permits expired Friday, analysts and average Palestinians have been busy trying to decipher the sudden change in Israeli policy.
Some observers say it was a purely political gesture, while others believe it was an attempt to harm the already weak Palestinian economy during a period of active commercial movement.
“I can’t find an explanation for the Israeli move of issuing tens of thousands of visiting permits to Palestinians, not only who need them for work, medical treatment or family visits, but also to youngsters who do not need such permits,” Fatah central committee member Mahmoud al-Aloul wrote on Facebook.
National Economy Ministry undersecretary Nasser Tahboub said the permits issue was being given more attention than it deserved. "I think we are mistakenly accusing Israel of being too genius."
The permits issue, he said, is a purely a political move. According to Tahboub, Israel is trying to improve its image by showing the world that the Israeli authorities do allow the Palestinians to move freely and do not deny them their right to pray in al-Aqsa Mosque.
Tahboub highlighted that Israel had always granted Palestinian Christians visit permits during Christian holidays, and they are now doing the same with the Muslims during Eid al-Fitr. “Media outlets have given more focus to the issue this time,” he added.
As for the economic influence on the West Bank, Tahboub pointed out that “many Palestinian merchants confirmed their sales during Eid were good.”
Tahboub urged Israel to continue giving the Palestinians permits to go to Israel, and to open the Israeli market to Palestinian products. He asserted that more economic cooperation between Israel and the Palestinians would improve the Palestinian economy “yet isn’t an alternative to Palestinian political independence.”
The director of al-Quds University’s Institute of Business and Economy, Mahmoud el-Jafari, agreed with Tahboub’s analysis of the issuing of permits as a purely political move.
“Israel wants to show the world that the Palestinians are allowed to visit religious sites, and at the same time urges the Palestinians to allow the Israelis to enter al-Aqsa Mosque.” He highlighted that far-right Jews have recently tried several times to access the compound and perform prayers there.
El-Jafari added that the Palestinians who had the opportunity to tour Israeli markets found that they stocked better merchandise at better prices.
With higher prices and lower quality in the West Bank, he urged the PA to therefore monitor Palestinian merchants who are taking advantage of people during the high shopping period of Ramadan and religious holidays.
