ATTORNEY GENERAL Yehuda Weinstein announced yesterday that he has asked Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon for clarification of an edict that tightens Israel’s apartheid-style laws.

Mr Yaalon’s edict issued on Sunday would effectively bar thousands of Palestinian workers travelling home to the West Bank from taking the same public buses with Israeli illegal settlers.

The decision would require them to travel only through specific military checkpoints when returning to their homes in the West Bank.

Mr Weinstein asked for an explanation of the considerations behind the order by November 9. The new measure is due to be implemented in December.

Mr Yaalon’s spokesman Ofer Harel said that the measure was meant to ensure security.

However, Israeli human rights group B’Tselem called the ban a discriminatory measure against the Palestinians, who will effectively be banned from using public buses.

It said that the procedure is “thinly veiled pandering to the demand for racial segregation on buses.”