Israel has approved the deployment of fourth-generation (4G) mobile services for Palestinians living in the West Bank, the Israeli Ministry of Communications announced Tuesday. This decision marks a new step in the modernization of Palestinian telecommunications infrastructure, which has long been hampered by technological restrictions.
According to the ministry, management agreements were signed and validated on Sunday between the two Palestinian operators, Jawwal and Ooredoo, as well as the Swedish company Ericsson, responsible for the network's technical infrastructure.
Until now, Palestinian operators in the West Bank offered data services based on 3G technology, launched in 2018. This advance had already partially reduced the technological gap with Israel, after years during which the operation of new generation mobile networks had been prohibited for Palestinian providers.
The Israeli ministry clarified that this approval falls within the framework of a 2022 agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, aimed at authorizing the gradual rollout of 4G and 5G cellular technologies. However, the implementation of this agreement had been delayed by the war in Gaza, according to Israeli media. The actual transition to 4G in the West Bank could take up to six months.
Palestinian operators continue to face stiff competition from Israeli mobile phone companies, which already operate significantly faster 5G networks, and whose signals are accessible in many areas of the West Bank.
Israel has also begun the gradual deactivation of older 2G and 3G technologies within its territory and recommends that its users equip themselves with devices compatible with 4G and 5G. In the Gaza Strip, however, only 2G networks remain available, illustrating the persistent technological disparity between the Palestinian territories.
