New Delhi: Thousands of Indian workers have replaced Palestinian workers in Israel following the October 7 attack by Hamas, which led the Israeli government to ban Palestinians from entering the country. This shift is part of Israel’s strategy to address the labour void created by the restrictions on Palestinian workers.
Before the attack, construction sites across Israel were filled with Palestinian workers, who made up the majority of the labour force in the sector.
According to AFP, around 16,000 Indian workers have arrived in Israel over the past year, and plans are underway to bring thousands more to meet the rising demand in construction. Indians have long been employed in Israel, primarily as caregivers for the elderly, as well as in roles like diamond trading and IT. However, the war in Gaza has prompted a recruitment drive for Indian workers in the construction industry.
Despite these efforts, Israeli experts say the number of Indian workers in construction is still far below the pre-war Palestinian workforce, which numbered about 80,000. Additionally, around 26,000 foreign workers were employed in the sector before the conflict. Today, only about 30,000 foreign workers are engaged, creating a significant labour gap.
Eyal Argov, a researcher at the Bank of Israel, revealed that construction activity in the current quarter of 2024 is about 25% below pre-war levels. This shortfall continues to hinder the sector’s recovery and overall growth, highlighting the challenges Israel faces in rebuilding its workforce.
“These numbers (of Indians) are still very low,” Argov said.
While this does not create an immediate “shortage of housing, it may cause delays in the supply of new housing”, he said.
“Israel has a growing population, increasing by two percent annually, and this delay might lead to some shortage in the future.”
(With Inputs from AFP)
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