Israeli Army Radio reported today, Thursday, that "in recent days, Israeli security and Shin Bet have prepared a serious warning document for the political level, warning that due to the deteriorating economic situation in the Palestinian Authority, there is a fear of a third intifada in the West Bank, which could lead to further economic deterioration in the Palestinian Authority." It noted that "the document warns security forces that many Palestinians in the West Bank are living in a difficult economic reality due to a lack of income sources, thus transforming the West Bank from a secondary arena into a central arena in the conflict."
It highlighted that "Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has refused for two months to sign the transfer of the clearance funds to the Authority, workers are not entering Israeli territories, and the blockade imposed since the beginning of the war has left the crossings closed. This situation, according to the army and Shin Bet, could push many Palestinians toward terrorism, while entities like Iran are injecting huge sums of money into the region, thus recruiting militants and encouraging attacks."
A senior security official stated: "A man who needs to live and is hungry for bread, and the Iranians offer him 1000 shekels to carry out an attack - he won't think twice." The Israeli radio added: "The security institution's warning document includes several key recommendations aimed at facilitating the Palestinian economy, among which are recommendations to directly empower the Palestinian public, not through the Palestinian Authority, noting that no steps can be taken that would strengthen the Palestinian Authority in light of the actions it is taking against Israel in the international arena.
The main recommendations include:
- Opening the crossings in the West Bank on weekends to allow Palestinians from inside to shop in Palestinian cities. "Every weekend, thousands of Israeli cars can enter, bringing millions to the Palestinian economy."
- Experimenting with different models of entry for workers into Israel; the security apparatus recommends a model where, as a first step, thousands of workers are brought in a controlled manner via buses that leave the West Bank directly to construction sites in Israel and bring them back. This will be evaluated, and if the model is successful, it will be expanded.
