The lives of Palestinian workers in Israel are a dire reminder of the occupation's devastating impact on the economy and human rights. For years, Israel has relied on cheap labor from Palestinians to build its infrastructure and industries, forcing many into a cycle of poverty and dependence.
Arafat Qaddous was just one of around 130,000 Palestinians with permits who worked in Israel before October 2023, when Israeli authorities revoked most permits and launched a deadly crackdown on laborers. His permit was revoked after Hamas's attack, and he took a job in Taybeh, hoping to provide for his family.
On April 26, 2024, Qaddous drove to the separation wall to catch a ride from East Jerusalem to Taybeh, but Israeli police spotted him as he lay on the ground with a serious head injury. He was left bleeding out and died at the scene.
Since October 2023, forty-four Palestinian workers have died trying to cross the wall, and many more have been seriously injured by Israeli forces. The occupation has created a system where Palestinians are pushed into dependency on work in Israel or its illegal settlements, rather than building their own economy.
The situation is even worse for laborers from Gaza. After an Israeli airstrike killed his wife and four children, one of the workers was detained by Israeli soldiers and subjected to torture and interrogation. He later discovered that his pregnant wife had been killed during the same airstrike, leaving him with a seriously injured son who lost an eye.
The occupation's actions are in clear contravention of international labor laws and Israel's own obligations as an occupying power. Palestinian workers are subjected to humiliation and beatings on a daily basis, their lives made even more difficult by the withholding of tax revenue from the Palestinian Authority.
As one worker put it, "It's all gone now. I only have four shekels in my pocket." The economic and human costs of Israel's occupation will continue to escalate unless the international community takes action to end this injustice.
The situation is a stark reminder that Palestine is not just an economic issue or a regional conflict – but a humanitarian crisis that demands attention and action from governments around the world.
Arafat Qaddous was just one of around 130,000 Palestinians with permits who worked in Israel before October 2023, when Israeli authorities revoked most permits and launched a deadly crackdown on laborers. His permit was revoked after Hamas's attack, and he took a job in Taybeh, hoping to provide for his family.
On April 26, 2024, Qaddous drove to the separation wall to catch a ride from East Jerusalem to Taybeh, but Israeli police spotted him as he lay on the ground with a serious head injury. He was left bleeding out and died at the scene.
Since October 2023, forty-four Palestinian workers have died trying to cross the wall, and many more have been seriously injured by Israeli forces. The occupation has created a system where Palestinians are pushed into dependency on work in Israel or its illegal settlements, rather than building their own economy.
The situation is even worse for laborers from Gaza. After an Israeli airstrike killed his wife and four children, one of the workers was detained by Israeli soldiers and subjected to torture and interrogation. He later discovered that his pregnant wife had been killed during the same airstrike, leaving him with a seriously injured son who lost an eye.
The occupation's actions are in clear contravention of international labor laws and Israel's own obligations as an occupying power. Palestinian workers are subjected to humiliation and beatings on a daily basis, their lives made even more difficult by the withholding of tax revenue from the Palestinian Authority.
As one worker put it, "It's all gone now. I only have four shekels in my pocket." The economic and human costs of Israel's occupation will continue to escalate unless the international community takes action to end this injustice.
The situation is a stark reminder that Palestine is not just an economic issue or a regional conflict – but a humanitarian crisis that demands attention and action from governments around the world.
. They're being used like machines, building Israel's infrastructure while they can barely make ends meet, all because they need to survive 
. It's not just the physical harm they're facing, but also the trauma and emotional pain that comes with it 
.
. We need to start thinking about the people behind these statistics, the families who are struggling to make a living, the children who are losing their eyesight and parents who are dying on the way to work 
.
. We can't keep saying that it's someone else's problem or that we're not doing enough – the fact is, we all have a role to play in ending this injustice 
.