Israel has revoked the work permits of nearly all Palestinian laborers, sparking a deadly crackdown on those trying to cross into Israeli territory. For years, Palestinians have been regarded as a pool of cheap labor, and their employment in Israel was seen as a way to boost living standards.
The decision to revoke the permits came after Hamas's attack on Israel in October 2023. The move has left thousands of Palestinian workers without a means of income, with many forced to flee Gaza due to the threat of Israeli police action. One worker, who wished to remain anonymous, said he had been detained by Israeli soldiers and subjected to torture and interrogation.
Since the revocation of permits, at least 44 Palestinian workers have died trying to cross into Israel, while many more have suffered serious injuries. The number of Palestinians being shot in the legs by border police has increased significantly, with over 100 victims reported since January this year.
The economic impact on Palestinians is severe. Before the permit revocation, around a quarter million Palestinians used to commute daily from the occupied territories to Israel for work. However, with fewer than 15,000 Palestinian laborers now able to cross into Israel due to the permit restrictions, many families have been left without an income.
The situation has worsened since October 2023, when Israel also withheld tax revenue from the Palestinian Authority, exacerbating the economic hardship faced by Palestinians. Many are forced to rely on informal work or enter Israel illegally, despite the increased risk of Israeli crackdowns.
Palestinian workers face significant risks, including beatings and torture at the hands of Israeli police. The situation is a stark reminder of the long-standing occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which has led to widespread economic hardship and human rights abuses for Palestinians.
As the international community watches, many are calling for greater action to be taken against Israel's policies towards Palestinian workers. "There are hardly any jobs in the West Bank," said Arafat Qaddous, one of the laborers whose permit was revoked. "Prices of food and goods are extremely high." His brother, Qusai, added that his family relied heavily on his work, but the loss of their livelihood has left them with little.
The decision to revoke permits has been described as a form of collective punishment by human rights groups. It is a stark reminder of the challenges faced by Palestinians in their struggle for economic and social justice.
The decision to revoke the permits came after Hamas's attack on Israel in October 2023. The move has left thousands of Palestinian workers without a means of income, with many forced to flee Gaza due to the threat of Israeli police action. One worker, who wished to remain anonymous, said he had been detained by Israeli soldiers and subjected to torture and interrogation.
Since the revocation of permits, at least 44 Palestinian workers have died trying to cross into Israel, while many more have suffered serious injuries. The number of Palestinians being shot in the legs by border police has increased significantly, with over 100 victims reported since January this year.
The economic impact on Palestinians is severe. Before the permit revocation, around a quarter million Palestinians used to commute daily from the occupied territories to Israel for work. However, with fewer than 15,000 Palestinian laborers now able to cross into Israel due to the permit restrictions, many families have been left without an income.
The situation has worsened since October 2023, when Israel also withheld tax revenue from the Palestinian Authority, exacerbating the economic hardship faced by Palestinians. Many are forced to rely on informal work or enter Israel illegally, despite the increased risk of Israeli crackdowns.
Palestinian workers face significant risks, including beatings and torture at the hands of Israeli police. The situation is a stark reminder of the long-standing occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which has led to widespread economic hardship and human rights abuses for Palestinians.
As the international community watches, many are calling for greater action to be taken against Israel's policies towards Palestinian workers. "There are hardly any jobs in the West Bank," said Arafat Qaddous, one of the laborers whose permit was revoked. "Prices of food and goods are extremely high." His brother, Qusai, added that his family relied heavily on his work, but the loss of their livelihood has left them with little.
The decision to revoke permits has been described as a form of collective punishment by human rights groups. It is a stark reminder of the challenges faced by Palestinians in their struggle for economic and social justice.
... like, I get that Israel needs workers, but revoking permits doesn't make sense, right? It's like they're just gonna let people starve or something 
... and the fact that these guys are getting tortured by police is just wrong 
. I mean, what's the point of having an economy if you can't even get a job without being treated badly? 
. I feel so bad for these people 
.
i mean, i get that israel has its own problems but revoking work permits and then cracking down on those who try to cross is just cruel. thousands of people are losing their income, families are struggling... it's a human crisis. ppl need to step in and do something about this. international community, we're watching 
The fact that Palestinians have been working in Israel for years, often under poor conditions, just to survive, is just appalling 
. And now, with these work permits revoked, it's like the whole economy is crumbling for them 
.
. The occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip has been going on for decades, and it's led to some of the most severe economic hardship and human rights abuses in the world 
. We can't just sit idly by while thousands of people are losing their livelihoods and risking their lives to cross borders 
.
. We need to hold Israel accountable for its actions and push for greater action from the international community to support Palestinian workers and the broader Palestinian economy 
. This is a crisis that requires immediate attention and action, not just empty words or condemnations 
.
they're being treated like animals, forced to flee their homes because they can't even get a decent job without some fancy paperwork 
meanwhile israel gets to reap the benefits of all that cheap labor 
we should be calling for boycotts, sanctions, and economic pressure to make them change their ways 
so we're just stuck with this mess 
. It's not just about numbers; those 44 deaths are actual people who lost their lives trying to provide for their families... no wonder the economic impact is severe 
. I mean, think about it, if everyone could just work wherever they want without being controlled by someone else, the whole system would fall apart. The Palestinians need to learn to be more independent and not rely so much on Israeli jobs.
. If everyone reacted that strongly when attacked, there wouldn't be as many problems. It's time for Palestinians to take responsibility for their own actions and stop blaming Israel for everything 
.
. The Palestinians need to toughen up and stop expecting everything to be handed to them on a silver platter 
.
."
This is so unfair 
is just ridiculous. It's not like they were forced into it, many of them have families to support 
.
. The permit revocation and the withholding of tax revenue from the Palestinian Authority are like a double whammy 
️. I can imagine how tough it must be for these workers who are trying to cross into Israel every day, not knowing if they'll make it or get caught 
.
, with many families left without an income 
. We can't just sit back and watch as Palestinians are treated unfairly 
to address these human rights abuses and bring about economic justice 
I know it's not just about the tech, but still... those Palestinian workers are being treated like dirt. It's like they're invisible 
. It's just cruel. And what's with all these permits getting revoked? Does Israel think it can just control everything? 
. We need to see some real action from the international community on this one, like sanctions or something 
and the economy situation for palestinians is so dire 
.
its like they're punishing the whole population 4 one bad guy 
its just not right