Security officials have warned that Defense Minister Naftali Bennett’s decision to halt all Palestinian agricultural imports from the West Bank may have major economic and security implications for Israel, Channel 12 reported Sunday.
The halt on Palestinian agricultural imports "advances us toward a total severing of ties with the Palestinian Authority and deteriorates the situation," a security official said, according to Channel 12.
Such an outcome, the official said, would mean revoking entry permits for some 100,000 Palestinians workers in Israel, a large percentage of whom are employed in the construction industry.
This in turn would increase Palestinian unemployment, and anger at such Israeli policies could trigger more violence.
The ban ordered by Bennett on Friday came into effect Sunday, during a months-long boycott of Israeli beef by the Palestinian Authority.
Moves to end the beef ban have failed to lead to a resolution. Ramallah has also threatened to respond to the new Israeli halt on imports.