Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said during Sunday's cabinet meeting that 4,000 Palestinian construction workers from the West Bank and 800 agricultural workers from Gaza will be granted entry permits into Israel.

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reprots that since the death of former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, the number of entry permits granted to Palestinians has reached 10,000.

Israel also approved recently the entrance of 2,000 merchants from the West Bank into Israel, and 100 merchants from Gaza. This is in addition to 200 merchants that received permits previously.

Mofaz said Israel is also taking steps to facilitate the operations of international aid organizations. He emphasized that the steps are designed to make it easier for the Palestinian leadership to create a new reality after Arafat's death.

Meanwhile, defense establishment officials told members of a special Knesset (Parliament) committee on the defense budget that Israel is to open nine crossings along the West Bank separation fence at the end of February 2005.

The officials said that a new terminal to be opened at the roadblock at the end of February will be able to allow 2,100 people to pass through every hour.

Source: CRI news