India began sending laborers to Israel on Tuesday, marking a significant development in international labor mobility and the two countries’ bilateral relations. The Israeli Ambassador to India, Naor Gillon, bid farewell to the departing workers in New Delhi, highlighting the diplomatic engagement and support for this initiative. This move comes as Israel faces a labor shortage exacerbated by the ongoing conflict with Hamas, which has led to a significant reduction in its workforce, particularly in the construction sector.
The shortage stems from Israel’s decision to not employ Palestinian workers, who traditionally formed a substantial part of the labor force in the country’s construction industry. The conflict has not only strained the economic activities but also propelled Israel to look for alternative sources of labor to sustain its infrastructure development and other sectors critical to its economy. India’s initiative to send construction workers to Israel amidst the conflict with Hamas is driven by the acute labor shortage Israel is facing due to the war. Israel began recruiting at least 40,000 Indian workers to address the shortfall in its construction industry after revoking the work permits of Palestinian workers following an attack by Hamas on October 7. The revocation affected about 80,000 Palestinian workers from the West Bank and an additional 17,000 from the Gaza Strip. Indian workers see Israel jobs as ‘opportunity of a lifetime’ despite Gaza war dangers | South China Morning Post.In May 2023, a mobility agreement was signed between India and Israel, facilitating the migration of 42,000 Indian workers, including those in the construction and nursing sectors, to Israel. This agreement was in part a response to the labor shortage exacerbated by the conflict, which had already seen nearly 500,000 Israelis and over 17,000 foreign workers leave the country, and about 764,000 Israelis, or nearly one-fifth of the workforce, become unemployed due to evacuations, school closures, or army reserve duty call-ups. Undeterred by Gaza war, thousands of Indians turn up for jobs in Israel. India, Israel firm up mobility pact; resolve to expand trade, defence ties | Latest News India – Hindustan Times.The Indian workers see these jobs as significant opportunities, offering much higher salaries than what they can earn at home. For many, this is a chance to escape poverty and provide better for their families. Despite the ongoing conflict, these workers are willing to take the risk for the promise of better pay and the chance to improve their living conditions. Undeterred by Gaza war, thousands of Indians turn up for jobs in Israel. Indian workers see Israel jobs as ‘opportunity of a lifetime’ despite Gaza war dangers. However, this move has sparked controversy and criticism, particularly regarding the replacement of Palestinian workers with those from India. Labor groups and trade unions in India have voiced strong opposition, arguing that it’s immoral and disastrous for India to send workers to Israel during the ongoing conflict with Gaza. They have expressed concerns about the ethics of replacing Palestinian workers with Indian ones, highlighting the human rights implications and the potential support this could provide to Israel’s actions in the conflict. Undeterred by Gaza war, thousands of Indians turn up for jobs in Israel. Israel brings in 10,000 Indian labourers to replace Palestinians – Middle East Monitor.Israel is reportedly looking to hire up to 100,000 workers from India, indicating the scale of the demand in their construction sector previously filled by Palestinian workers. Israel looks to hire 1 lakh Indian workers to replace Palestinians. This development is part of broader efforts to maintain economic stability and address labor shortages amid the challenging circumstances brought on by the war.
