New details about the stormy discussion held last night in the political-security cabinet, where they discussed the possibility of allowing the entry of Arab laborers living in Judea and Samaria to work in the territories of the State of Israel, for the first time since the beginning of the war.
As a reminder, after it became clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that he did not have a majority to approve the plan - it was decided not to hold a vote and leave the issue undecided.
In the transcripts from the closed meeting, the head of the National Security Council, Tzachi Hanegbi, said: "I want to review the economic reality of the residents. And the economic reality in Israel. We have a problem with contractors, we have a problem with agriculture."
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich: "It is not acceptable to me. The Ministry of Finance is the one who should present the economic reality in Israel. The National Security Council is a security body and the economic question in Israel is related to the Ministry of Finance, or the Minister of Agriculture, or the Minister of Housing, or the Economy."
At the end of the words of the head of the National Security Council, Minister Smotrich gave his own overview: "The Minister of Housing says that we can cope without their entry and so does the Minister of the Economy. I'm not saying it's easy, but we can manage without them."
In the discussion itself, Smotrich presented several proposals for an opportunity for growth, and presented plans that would make it possible to manage without bringing in the Palestinian workers.
Ben-Gvir: "I'm not saying that everyone comes to murder, but everyone is exposed to incitement"
After that, the Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir responded: "We heard a review here from the Minister of Finance who explains in detail things that are convincing that it is possible to manage economically without the workers. I am convinced that it is actually good for the economy, but even if I were not convinced, what I am facing in all the reports I receive from the team of the fight against incitement, hundreds of surveillances, many cases of incitement by preachers, a media that brainwashes the residents of the PA and pay attention to what their superiors say (reads quotes from Jibril Rajoub:) Jibril Rajoub claimed to an Egyptian channel that the murder of the residents of the Gaza Strip envelope was 'a natural reaction to oppression' and that 'the next outbreak will occur in the West Bank.' There are quite a few pieces from the press, the media, I'm not saying that everyone comes to murder, but everyone is exposed to incitement."
Ben-Gvir added: "I have been speaking here throughout the last nine months against the entry of workers from Gaza, there were those here who disparaged, said that they are good for peace and bring home a living. I explained then that it was simulated peace and look today, I have no doubt that some of them gave information to the Nukhbas, who came here with accurate maps of every room and every house and a description of every base these workers built."
During the discussion, one of the security officials made a recommendation to allow the entry of men over the age of 35 with children: "You have to remember that they go through a checkpoint and the children are a responsibility."
Minister Ben-Gvir: "Did you check how many children the terrorists of the Nukhbas who went in and did the massacre had? I'm willing to bet with you that a large part of them have children and some are over 35."
A security official replied: "There is pressure in Judea and Samaria. You should know that the workers' income is 37% of their economy."
Minister Dudi Amsalem: "I suggest that we accept the recommendation of the security establishment. They just want to make a living. These are the 35-year-olds who will come here to work." The same security source added: "They can be brought into areas without friction, such as an isolated construction area in Beit Shemesh."
To this the ministers Miri Regev and Itamar Ben-Gvir replied: "It is possible to get from an isolated construction area there to a central school in the heart of the city of Beit Shemesh in 3 minutes."
