By Mohamed Khubaisa
JERUSALEM
Israel's minor economic cabinet had approved a new bill that would raise by 5,000 the number of Palestinians allowed to work in Israeli cities, local media has reported.
During the next few weeks, 5,000 more Palestinian workers would be given permission to work in Israeli cities to speed up construction activities in these cities, which suffer housing problems and rising demand, Israel's Channel 7 reported on Sunday.
Housing prices inside Israel have been on a steady rise for six years now due to rising demand. The prices of homes have risen by 40 percent since 2008.
Around 105,000 Palestinian workers have permission to work in Israel, including 20,000 who work in Israeli settlements constructed inside the occupied West Bank.
The remaining 85,000 Palestinian workers work in all sectors inside Israel, according to the Palestinian statistics agency.
Palestinian workers inside Israel earn an average of $45 a day, whereas in the settlements the workers earn an average of $35 a day, the agency added.
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