Translation by "Jerusalem" dot com - The Hebrew newspaper "Haaretz" reported today, Monday, that the Civil Administration of the Israeli authorities required factories operating in the Bethlehem area to meet a series of strict security requirements in order to approve the transfer of their goods through the “tunnel” checkpoint into the Green Line areas.
According to the newspaper, since last January, the Civil Administration has required factory owners to install cameras inside them to monitor what is going on in them, to install a satellite tracking system for trucks transporting goods, to provide a list of all factory workers for security checks, and to place cameras at entrances factory exits and in the area of production, unloading and loading, and the obligation to appoint a security officer for the factory who is a first-degree relative of the owner and receive training with the Israeli police, and to employ 24-hour security guards, and for a Palestinian security officer to accompany every truck leaving the factory to the checkpoint, and for the factory to work with trucks Israeli and Israeli drivers.
The Palestinian Stone and Marble Industry Association, the main sector that exports goods to Israel, said that in order to meet the conditions, each factory must spend tens of thousands of shekels annually, amid fears that this step will lead to an increase in commodity prices, which will make the Israelis They prefer goods imported from other countries, especially Turkey.
According to the newspaper, the owners of these factories believe that these new requirements carry heavy financial costs that may lead to their collapse, noting that some factory owners have actually agreed to this and have not yet obtained permission to enter goods into Israel through the “tunnel” checkpoint, and are forced to Some of them have to transport them through remote checkpoints, which cause a delay of 5 hours, and this incurs huge financial losses.
The newspaper indicated that these requirements are part of a plan to transport goods from the West Bank to Israel under the so-called “door to door” clause, which is an Israeli-international initiative that began in 2019, and 20 companies, most of them from Hebron and Nablus, are currently participating in it and provide sums of money. Up to 6 million shekels, as the goods are transported from the factories to the checkpoint, unloaded there, inspected, and then transported via an Israeli truck to the other side. Israeli trucks are also allowed to transport them directly from the factories, provided that this fulfills security conditions.