Security bans are the hidden centerpiece of a permit system that Palestinians consider the ultimate tool of control in Israel’s half-century-old military occupation. Many Palestinian labourers in Israel pay as much as a quarter of their salaries to Palestinian permit brokers. There are also reports of bribery and favouritism among Palestinian officials who determine what names are submitted to obtain valued Israeli permits for businessmen. For the first two decades of Israeli rule, Palestinians could drive to jobs in Israel or trade between the West Bank and Gaza. Athletes are among the few theoretically eligible for Israeli exit permits, as are major traders and medical patients requiring life-saving treatment.

Source: National Post April 30, 2018 06:33 UTC