The Palestinian street hoped that the Israeli ban on Palestinian workers from Judea and Samaria entering Israel to work in Israel since the beginning of the war in Gaza would be temporary, and that a quick solution would be found. However, as time passes, tens of thousands of workers who have made a living from work in Israel for many years, and are now sitting at home unemployed, are concerned, that this is not a passing crisis as initially thought.
Palestinian workers' protest at Tarqumiya crossing against wage reform (archive) // Arab networks
"People don't know what to do or who to turn to. This is not a good situation for us or for Israel," a Palestinian from the Hebron area who works as a public sector official in the Palestinian Authority told Israel Hayom. "I have a job, but I see around me the great distress of the residents, neighbors and families who relied on salaries from work in Israel and are now in trouble because they have no other sources of income," he explains.
Palestinian sources say that despite the prohibition, there are workers with work permits who manage to infiltrate into Israel via bypass routes, but this is a relatively negligible number, while most do not go out to work. Some of the workers suggested protesting and holding marches in Palestinian cities in Judea and Samaria, but the idea was rejected, thinking that in the near future a decision would be made to return them to work. At the same time, the workers' leadership is in contact with elements in the Palestinian government demanding compensation as well as social security grants.
Palestinian workers, photo: AP - Archive
The economic hardship has also been exacerbated by the dispute over the deduction of tax revenues that Israel transfers monthly to the Palestinian Authority. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh said Monday that the issue of tax revenues remains stuck, despite the intervention of U.S. officials and world leaders who have tried to find a solution.
It should be noted that the PA refused to receive the funds from Israel in recent months following the cabinet's decision to deduct from them the amount earmarked for the Gaza Strip.
Shtayyeh claimed at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting held in Ramallah that "Israel still refuses the proposals of the American administration on this issue, one of which is the transfer of tax money to Norway, which will be responsible for handing them over to the PA." According to him, the authority agreed to this proposal. The meeting noted that "Israel deducted NIS 517 million from the PA's tax revenues last month."
The passage of Palestinian workers into Israel, photo: Oren Cohen
Palestinian residents note that "the situation is gradually becoming intolerable," noting that public sector officials received only part of their salaries due to dwindling sources of income in the PA budget. Some workers warn of a deterioration in the economic, civilian and security situation on the ground. According to a contractor from Hebron, "Most of the workers do not have alternative work. If the economic situation worsens, there will be consequences on the ground for both Israel and the PA."
"The PA is currently unable to provide employment – its resources are limited, and Israel says it wants to replace Palestinian workers with foreign workers. It's a recipe for escalation. I'm not saying that a father of four will go to carry out an attack himself – it's not his first choice. But in the long run, this atmosphere affects everyone, and young people who see what's happening can get up and do all sorts of things. Therefore, the economic issue can have a negative impact."
Palestinian workers on their way to Israel, Photo: Reuters
He goes on to emphasize: "It can lead to chaos in the streets and damage to public and civil order, such as thefts and robberies. What do you want people to start stealing for food? I'm not necessarily talking about terror attacks, but about a situation in which people go out to steal and commit violence and crime. It can be directed at everyone, Arabs and Jews. Those who don't have money at home will be able to do anything."
At the same time, in the Palestinian public and in some circles in Ramallah, there are those who believe that the opportunity should be used to separate from Israel economically. "There must be new arrangements and we will become independent. Enough with dependence on Israel," they say. "The Palestinian economy benefits from the salaries that workers bring in from work in Israel, but on the other hand it would be better if we had economic independence."
The passage of Palestinian workers into Israel (archive), photo: Oren Cohen
"As long as Israel controls our resources and continues the occupation, we automatically depend on it, but the current situation reopens this issue. In order for us to rely on ourselves, there must be serious actions that will bring about a political horizon, freedom of movement and employment opportunities."
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