A new report released last week by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) reveals the scandalous exploitation of Palestinian workers who work both inside Israel and in the illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Thousands of Palestinian workers cross in the early morning hours every day through the Eyal checkpoint, near Qalqilya in the occupied territories, to reach their workplaces in Israel. (Photo: Activestills)

High unemployment in the West Bank and Gaza is leaving Palestinians with little alternative to taking jobs in Israel and the settlements. More than 130,000 working class people attempt to earn a living in this way.

The ITUC report exposes the reality of low wages; poor occupational health and safety; the humiliation of having to queue at border crossings to enter Israel; gaps in social protection; and the oppressive labor broker system that many workers are still forced into, even though in the construction sector Israeli authorities have removed the system.

According to Sharan Burrow, ITUC General Secretary, “Israel’s continued occupation of Palestine and the illegal settlements are the root causes of the plight of these workers who depend on Israel for their livelihoods and the household members who depend on them in turn. Only when Palestine becomes an independent state existing alongside Israel, in line with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, can its economy flourish and its people no longer have to rely on substandard employment.” “In addition to the injustice of occupation, Palestinian workers in Israel and the illegal settlements face injustice at work as well. Israel must fulfill its obligations under international law,” said Burrow.

Download the ITUC report in English or Arabic

Related: CPI posts on Palestinian workers