Renovation industry warns: 20,000 workers will be short to repair war damage / Avi Rokach
Since the beginning of the fighting, the Association of Renovation Contractors has been warning of an unprecedented shortage of workers, due to the blocking of crossings for Palestinian workers, extensive recruitment of Order 8 for contractors, and more.
Since the beginning of the fighting, renovation contractors have also voluntarily made more than 5,000 calls as part of the open line they opened to residents of the south, the safe room patrol that operated throughout the country, and more.
In a letter sent to the government on Tuesday, Eran Siv, chairman of the Association of Renovation Contractors, warns that "in light of the scope of work in rehabilitating war damage, the industry will lack 20,000 working hands. We must act to bring in thousands of foreign workers today."
"With the expansion of the war and the damage estimated at billions, it is our civil and professional duty to warn that despite the desire to help, to renovate and to lend a hand in whatever is needed. The continuous functioning of the sector and the provision of a professional response to the State of Israel and its citizens will encounter a serious problem due to an unprecedented shortage of working hands."
The letter sent to the government
Re: Urgent appeal to recruit foreign workers to work in the renovation industry The Association of Renovation Contractors is the representative organization of the renovation
industry in Israel. The Association strengthens the hands of the government and its ministries, the IDF and the security forces, and acts to do everything necessary to assist in the war effort – for the security forces and the citizens of Israel.
The renovation contractors are called to the flag and are ready to mobilize and direct all their resources towards the rehabilitation and renovation of the entire area surrounding the Gaza Strip and, of course, buildings throughout the country that suffered damage as a result of the war. However, in order to carry out this important work in the best possible way, contractors must have working hands and as soon as possible.
Today, a closure is imposed on Judea and Samaria and Palestinian workers do not enter Israel to work. This situation will continue for a long time. This state of affairs leads the renovation industry to an almost complete shutdown - renovation work in progress has been halted, future renovation work has been postponed without a deadline or canceled, and of course the greatest fear of all is that at the moment of truth when renovation contractors will have to mobilize to repair the damage caused by the war, they will not have workers to carry out the work.
Even after the crossings are opened, there is concern that contractors will continue employing Palestinian workers from Judea and Samaria and bringing them into Israeli territory to carry out the work. Renovations are usually carried out in active residences, and the homeowners' fear of bringing Palestinian workers into their homes is understandable in light of the national trauma we are all experiencing these days.
Accordingly, we make an urgent request to make an immediate decision to recruit thousands of foreign workers to the renovation industry.
Given the number of jobs halted following the war and the amount of work expected for the industry afterwards to repair the damage caused by the war, we expect that the industry will be short at least 20,000 workers. Recruitment of employees for the benefit of the industry will enable those involved in the renovation industry employment stability and security for their continued activity within the industry.
We are confident that the importance of the renovation industry to the Israeli economy and economy is before your eyes during this complex period and we will be happy to assist in anything necessary for the continued continuous functioning of the industry and providing a professional and full response to the State of Israel and its citizens.
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