World Bulletin / News Desk 

Israeli authorities will implement as of Sunday steps to facilitate the passage of Palestinians from the West Bank to Israeli cities, Israel's public radio has reported.

Palestinians older than 55 years of age will be allowed to enter Israel solely by showing their identification cards at border crossings without obtaining special permits, according to the broadcaster.

Palestinians aged 22 or older who are married and live in the West Bank will be able to obtain work permits inside Israel, it added.

Palestinians who live in the Gaza Strip, however, will be excluded from the new regulations.

Palestinians living in the West Bank had been barred from entering Israel if they do not possess special entry permits.

"Israel announced such measures because it requires additional labor force, especially in construction works for housing projects," Barhoum Graissi, a researcher on Israeli economy told.

"These decisions were aimed at bringing Palestinian labor into Israeli markets, not at making Palestinians' lives easier."

An employment report by the Bank of Israel issues earlier this month revealed that there are some 92,000 Palestinians working inside Israel.

It also said that there are 20,000 Palestinian laborers who work in construction projects for Jewish-only settlement blocs in the occupied West Bank.