Israel to Replace 6,000 Africans, Palestinians with Foreign Workers

An Israeli minister put forward a proposal to bring Palestinian workers to work at construction and industrial sites in Israeli towns. (Reuters)
An Israeli minister put forward a proposal to bring Palestinian workers to work at construction and industrial sites in Israeli towns. (Reuters)
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Israel to Replace 6,000 Africans, Palestinians with Foreign Workers

An Israeli minister put forward a proposal to bring Palestinian workers to work at construction and industrial sites in Israeli towns. (Reuters)
An Israeli minister put forward a proposal to bring Palestinian workers to work at construction and industrial sites in Israeli towns. (Reuters)

Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved to bring in 6,000 foreign workers to work under official permits, which will effectively lead to the deportation of tens of thousands of African asylum-seekers.

The decision was made at the end of a cabinet session on Sunday after a heated debate that refused to grant work permits to Palestinian workers.

Negev and Galilee Minister of the Development Aryeh Deri, also one of the Shas party founders for Oriental Jews, had put forward a proposal to bring Palestinian workers to work at construction and industrial sites in Israeli towns.

“It is better and less costly for Israel to bring workers from our neighbors in the West Bank and even the Gaza Strip. They know us and we know them. They are close. While providing foreign workers with a place to stay and expensive working conditions, the Palestinians could return to sleep at home,” Deri explained.

“Many of them (Palestinians) are fluent in Hebrew. And bringing them here contributes to improving their economic and social conditions, and this helps us to improve security conditions for us and them.”

“Bringing the Palestinians, while expelling African workers, is more understandable for the countries of the world-- but expelling Africans and bringing workers from Eastern Europe will result in world countries accusing Israel of racism against blacks," Deri added.

“This accusation will not apply if we bring in Palestinian workers,” he suggested.

Israel needs 20,000 foreign workers by next summer. There has been a long debate within Israeli society about bringing workers from China, Europe or the Palestinian territories.



Israeli Military Says it Struck Hamas Member in Southern Syria

FILE PHOTO: A cat stands next to a damaged telephone booth in Hamidiyeh district in the central city of Homs July 1, 2012. REUTERS/Yazen Homsy/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A cat stands next to a damaged telephone booth in Hamidiyeh district in the central city of Homs July 1, 2012. REUTERS/Yazen Homsy/File Photo
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Israeli Military Says it Struck Hamas Member in Southern Syria

FILE PHOTO: A cat stands next to a damaged telephone booth in Hamidiyeh district in the central city of Homs July 1, 2012. REUTERS/Yazen Homsy/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A cat stands next to a damaged telephone booth in Hamidiyeh district in the central city of Homs July 1, 2012. REUTERS/Yazen Homsy/File Photo

The Israeli military said on Sunday that it struck a Hamas member in southern Syria's Mazraat Beit Jin, days after Israel carried out its first airstrikes in the country in nearly a month.

Hamas did not immediately comment on the strike.

Israel said on Tuesday it hit weapons belonging to the government in retaliation for the firing of two projectiles towards Israel for the first time under the country's new leadership. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz held Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa accountable.

Damascus in response said reports of the shelling were unverified, reiterating that Syria does not pose a threat to any regional party.

A little known group named "Martyr Muhammad Deif Brigades," an apparent reference to Hamas' military leader who was killed in an Israeli strike in 2024, reportedly claimed responsibility for the shelling. Reuters, however, could not independently verify the claim.

Israel and Syria have recently engaged in direct talks to calm tensions, marking a significant development in ties between states that have been on opposite sides of conflict in the Middle East for decade.