What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
NEW DELHI: In the midst of the ongoing conflict following a Hamas attack on Israel, the country’s construction industry is reportedly seeking government approval to recruit a substantial number of Indian workers to replace the 90,000 Palestinian labourers whose work permits have been cancelled.
According to a report from ‘Voice of America’ based in the West Bank, the vice president of the Israeli Builders Association, Haim Feiglin, announced negotiations with India to engage between 50,000 to 100,000 Indian workers to help stabilise the construction sector.
Approximately 25 per cent of the Israeli construction industry’s workforce comprises Palestinian labourers, and due to the ongoing conflict, these workers are currently not allowed to enter Israel.
Feiglin stated, “We are at war, and the Palestinian workers, which make up about 25 per cent of our human resources in the sector, are not coming and are not permitted to work in Israel.”
Feiglin emphasised that their ability to maintain the sector’s functionality hinges on the Israeli government’s approval of this proposal, which is currently under consideration. Nonetheless, India’s Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar has not responded to this report, yet.
Around 10 per cent of the Palestinian workers affected by this situation are from Gaza, a region at the centre of the conflict, with the rest coming from the West Bank.
In May, Israel signed a deal with India to allow 42,000 Indian workers to work in Israel, primarily in the construction and nursing sectors. The “Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Temporary Employment of Workers in Specific Labor Market Sectors in Israel” was initiated during Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen’s visit to India.
Recently, Israel deported thousands of Palestinian workers from the Gaza Strip back to the besieged territory. These workers had previously been allowed to work in Israel in various menial roles.
Some of the returning workers reported mistreatment by Israeli authorities during their detention in deportation centres. The permits for Palestinian workers were revoked, and they were subsequently deported.
This move has significant implications for Gaza, where the unemployment rate is nearly 50 per cent. Israel had issued these work permits in recent years, believing it would help stabilise the situation in Gaza and potentially moderate the influence of Hamas, despite the broader blockade in place to weaken the militant group.
This decision follows the October 7 attack by Hamas militants that resulted in the loss of lives and kidnapping of several innocent Israeli people, marking a significant escalation in the conflict.
