JERUSALEM

Cars bearing Palestinian license plates will be able to enter Israel and Jerusalem for the first time in 15 years, the Israeli army said Tuesday.

Israel's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, Maj. Gen. Yoav Mordechai, approved the entry of a small number of vehicles belonging to Palestinian doctors from Bethlehem and Hebron who have hospital jobs in Israel, The Jerusalem Post reported.

"This is a significant step intended to assist doctors in completing their life-saving mission. The success of this step will be evaluated in accordance with an assessment of the security situation," Civil Administration head Brig.-Gen. David Menachem was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

Palestinian vehicles had been banned from entering Israel since the outbreak of the Second Palestinian Intifada in 2000.