The human rights organization Kav Le-Oved, in conjunction with United for Human Rights, has recently initiated a legal action in the High Court of Justice. The core of their lawsuit demands the reversal of the Israeli government’s decision to permit private recruitment agencies to employ foreign workers within the country.
It’s worth mentioning that about a decade ago, the employment of foreign workers through private agencies was effectively outlawed. This was largely due to significant pressure from the United States and various international structures. These entities included Israel in a list of countries that they deemed to have a low efficacy in their efforts to combat human trafficking.
In the intervening years since the ban, the procedure for hiring foreign workers has been strictly regulated and conducted solely within the confines of bilateral agreements between different nations. However, with the advent of the War of Iron Swords and the ensuing prohibition on construction workers from the Palestinian Authority entering Israel, the Israeli construction sector found itself in the grip of a severe labor shortage. As a result, the government made the decision to revert to the earlier practice.
It’s of significant note that the United States authorities have already signalled their intention to re-include Israel in their “black list” of countries with low levels of action against human trafficking as a result of this decision.
