6. Israel will provide the Palestinian side with lists of all Palestinian employees from whose wages Israel deducts health fees ( " health stamp " ) and lists of retired Palestinian employees receiving pensions paid through the Payment Section of the Israeli Employment Service.
   
   
7. Israel will notify the Palestinian side of amendments made in the laws and regulations that relate to Palestinians employed in Israel or in the Settlements.
   
   
8. Issues relating to the placement and rights of the Palestinians employed in Israel are dealt with in Article VII of Annex V ( Protocol on Economic Relations ).
   
   

ARTICLE 12

Environmental Protection

A. Transfer of Authority

The Palestinian side and Israel, recognizing the need to protect the environment and to utilize natural resources on a sustainable basis, agreed upon the following:

1. This sphere includes, inter alia, licensing for crafts and industry, and environmental aspects of the following: sewage, solid waste, water, pest control ( including anti - malaria activities ), pesticides and hazardous substances, planning and zoning, noise control, air pollution, public health, mining and quarrying, landscape preservation and food production.
   
   
2. The Israeli side shall transfer to the Palestinian side, and the Palestinian side shall assume, powers and responsibilities in this sphere, in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip that are presently held by the Israeli side, including powers and responsibilities in Area C which are not related to territory.
   
   In Area C, powers and responsibilities in this sphere related to territory ( which only include environmental aspects of sewage, solid waste, pesticides and hazardous substances, planning and zoning, air pollution, mining and quarrying, and landscape preservation ) will be transferred gradually to Palestinian jurisdiction that will cover West Bank and Gaza Strip territory except for the issues that will be negotiated in the permanent status negotiations, during the further redeployment phases, to be completed within 18 months from the date of the inauguration of the Council.
   
   

B. Cooperation and Understandings

3. Both sides will strive to utilize and exploit the natural resources, pursuant to their own environmental and developmental policies, in a manner which shall prevent damage to the environment, and shall take all necessary measures to ensure that activities in their respective areas do not cause damage to the environment of the other side.
   
   
4. Each side shall act for the protection of the environment and the prevention of environmental risks, hazards and nuisances including all kinds of soil, water and air pollution.
   
   
5. Both sides shall respectively adopt, apply and ensure compliance with internationally recognized standards concerning the following: levels of pollutants discharged through emissions and effluents; acceptable levels of treatment of solid and liquid wastes, and agreed ways and means for disposal of such wastes; the use, handling and

<119>