A facet of "globalisation" in Israel

[Jurriaan Bendien <quark19591@xxxxxxxxx>]

In a critical survey of immigrant labor in Israel, Oscar Garschagen notes some interesting facts in the Dutch daily NRC-Handelsblad (18 september 2004).

 

According to Israel's Statistics Office, he says, there were in 1990 some 2,000 foreign workers. In 1995, there were 92,000, in 2000 there were 150,000 and in 2003 some 300,000. Since the intifada the number of foreign workers in Israel rose spectactularly and an immigration police taskforce was set up to target 90,000 illegal immigrants. 

 

The major part of the 150,000 to 200,000 Palestinians that previously worked in Israel were blocked from work and entry, but under pressure from the business sector, the government permitted an influx of Chinese, Filipino's, Ghanese and Nigerians. According to the OECD, from the thirty developed countries only Switzerland now has a higher percentage of foreign employees (17.5%) than Israel (over 10%).

 

On construction sites, Garschagen writes, Chinese and English are now often the main languages spoken. In horticulture and glasshouses, Thai and Nepalese can be heard. Filipina's care for Israeli patients and retired people, while Ghanese clean homes and offices. He says temping agencies dealing in migrant labor are a 2 billion a year industry, and there are concerns about corrupt practices.  

 

E pluribus unum ?

 

J.

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