42. Convert Gaza Economic Permits to Worker Permits

Israel’s entry permits for Gaza residents—which have been steadily expanding since July 2021—are for “economic reasons.” This grants the holder the ability to enter Israel in order to conduct commerce, but does not entitle the permit holder to seek employment in Israel. Yet despite the permits being for merchants, the overwhelming majority of permits actually go to day laborers, who seek employment in Israel but are employed illegally. This artificially depresses their wages and requires them to be paid in cash rather than through bank transfers, which is then susceptible to Hamas taxes at the border when they re-enter Gaza. Changing the entry permits to worker permits will allow Palestinian laborers to seek work legally inside Israel, converting the black market economy to a transparent and regulated one that will create higher wages, grant workers social security, health insurance, pensions and other social rights, and make it more difficult for Hamas to benefit from increased prosperity of Gaza permit holders.