15 March 2016•Update: 18 March 2016
By Kaamil Ahmed
JERUSALEM
Israel's parliament, the Knesset, passed a new law Monday evening punishing Israelis involved in hiring people without permits to work in Israel.
The new rules, focused on Palestinian workers from the occupied West Bank, could mean prison sentences of up to four years and fines of up to 226,000 shekels ($58,000) for repeatedly illegally hiring, accommodating or transporting Palestinians workers.
The legislation had been due to be discussed later in the month, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that it was being fast-tracked after attacks against Israelis carried out by Palestinians who were in Israel without permission.
A statement from the Knesset said the country's Ministry of Public Security claimed during the debate that 44 percent of attacks within Israel's pre-1967 borders were carried out by Palestinians without residency.
Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan argued the bill was necessary because of ongoing violence which has left at least 194 Palestinians and 34 Israelis or foreigners dead since Oct. 1.
Arab lawmaker Osama Sa'adi argued, however, that the rules would punish Palestinian families in the southern Negev region where many, including children, do not have residency because of laws preventing the reunification of families split between Israeli and occupied Palestinian territories.
