Palestinian workers expelled,1L Indians likely to join Israel's construction sector

Sandeep Dikshit

New Delhi, November 6

The Israel construction industry is waiting for the government to finalise plans to bring in 50,000 to one lakh Indian workers after Palestinians from West Bank and Gaza stopped coming to the country following the Hamas attack.

“We are waiting for the decision of the government. We hope to engage 50,000 to one lakh workers to run the sector and bring it back to normal,” Haim Feiglin, vice-president of the Israeli Builders Association told Voice of America.

The Israeli construction industry is currently employing Chinese and Moroccan workers but is feeling the absence of 50,000 Palestinian workers who have stopped coming.

During Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen’s visit to June, an agreement was inked to take 42,000 workers from India of which 34,000 would be for the construction sector. The Israelis had also approached China and Moldova. After Beijing’s hard line on the Israel-Hamas conflict, it is doubtful whether more Chinese workers would come to Israel.

An Israeli publication had earlier said 10,000 Indian workers would come to Israel. It also said the spadework was done in March when an Israeli inter-ministerial delegation visited India and toured the training centres.

“This is a significant move that brings real news to the construction industry, which will now not depend only on Chinese workforce. India can provide a significant number of working hands. English-speaking, excellent-tempered Indian workers have been working exceptionally well in Dubai in recent years,” publication Walla quoted an Israeli builder as saying.