Since the outbreak of the Iron Sword war against Hamas in Gaza, Israel has brought in nearly 47,000 new foreign workers to bolster its construction sector, officials said on Monday.
Palestinians Replaced Amid Security Concerns
The government barred Palestinian labourers from entering Israel due to security risks following the October conflict, creating a major workforce gap in the construction industry. To offset the shortage, authorities turned to foreign workers, primarily from Asia.
Surge in Applications Approved
According to the Foreign Workers Administration, around 11,000 new applications to hire foreign workers through the private track were processed in recent weeks. Of these, 9,000 have already been approved, with nearly half of those workers already in Israel. The remainder are expected to arrive shortly.
“In light of the events of the past year, this is a significant and important addition to the construction industry that will assist in the restoration of buildings,” the administration said in a statement, adding that the expansion reflects “very great efforts” to stabilise the sector amid ongoing challenges. (Inputs from ANI)
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