Shin Bet approves 3,000 workers to build “Green Rafah”

Gaza - Ofoq News - The Hebrew newspaper Israel Hayom revealed that the Israeli intelligence service “Shin Bet” approved a list that includes the names of 3,000 Palestinian workers from the Gaza Strip to work in building what it called “Green Rafah.” However, the Hamas movement prevents their entry into the areas under the control of the Israeli army, according to what the newspaper reported.

The newspaper added that this step comes in light of the faltering plans for the US-backed reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, despite the understandings between Israel and the Peace Council regarding developing an area in Rafah to be a city of a humanitarian nature, providing services and shelter for Palestinians wishing to move there.

According to the report, the Shin Bet was initially not inclined to agree to the entry of workers from Gaza into the region, but it agreed to the list after the insistence of the “Peace Council.” However, the entry of workers and the start of their work are still stalled, according to the Israeli story.

In a related context, the report indicated that the head of the Israeli administration coordinating government activities in the territories, Major General (res.) Yoram Halevy, sent a warning letter to Nikolai Mladenov, the official linked to the peace council’s plans in Gaza, in which he warned against Hamas strengthening its control over aid and imposing high taxes on merchants.

The report stated that Halevy recommended reducing the number of goods trucks entering the Gaza Strip from 600 trucks per day to 250 trucks, in an attempt to limit what he described as Hamas’ growing economic influence.

But the Peace Council rejected the proposal, fearing that it would lead to accusations that Israel was causing the population to starve, as well as the possibility of Hamas increasing taxes on the remaining trucks.

According to the newspaper, Mladenov called for accelerating plans related to Gaza, including allowing the entry of the National Committee to manage the Strip and the deployment of a multinational force, even if the condition of disarming Hamas is not implemented.

On the other hand, Israel opposes these steps unless Hamas agrees to disarm, according to the report, amid increasing difficulties facing reconstruction plans and raising the necessary funding to implement them.