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Reuters
JERUSALEM
Israel on Sunday authorised a few economic concessions to the Palestinians requested by President Donald Trump, hours before the US leader begins a visit in which he hopes to revive peace talks frozen since 2014.
As well as the concessions, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Security Cabinet - a forum of senior ministers - voted to establish a committee to examine legalising outposts built without formal approval in the occupied West Bank.
"The security cabinet has approved economic measures that will ease daily civilian life in the Palestinian Authority after (Trump) who arrives tomorrow, asked to see some confidence building steps,"the cabinet statement said.
Trump arrives in Israel on Monday and will meet Netanyahu. On Tuesday, he will go briefly to the West Bank to see Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and will later speak in Jerusalem before heading to Rome and then Brussels.
"These are concessions ahead of Trump's visit that do not harm Israel's interests,"an Israeli diplomatic source said.
The concessions include the building of two industrial zones at Jalameh in the northern West Bank and Tarqumiyeh in the south and would keep the Allenby Bridge crossing that connects the West Bank and Jordan open 24 hours a day.
It said it would also ease restrictions on Palestinian construction in areas where it retains overall control at places that abut Palestinian urban areas.
