Subscribe to Print Edition | Sun., April 13, 2008 Nisan 8, 5768 | | Israel Time: 13:52 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 07:22 13/04/2008 PM seeks 5,000 more Palestinian work permits, despite economic advice By Ruth Sinai, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Palestinian workers, Israel  The cabinet will be asked Sunday to approve the employment of an additional 5,000 Palestinian construction workers, against the recommendation of the Bank of Israel and some government officials. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Ehud Barak proposed the move after U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Quartet envoy Tony Blair pressured them to make some concessions to the Palestinian Authority. The proposal, which increases the current quota by 30 percent, explains that it is based on the demand for workers and is expected to expand construction activity. Advertisement However, officials in the finance, industry, trade and employment ministries said there was no shortage of construction workers, as 15,000 Israelis have entered the profession this year after the number of permits for foreign workers was cut. They said that increasing the number of Palestinian workers would damage the construction workers' wages, which rose as foreign workers were replaced by Israelis. A Palestinian worker earns about NIS 12 an hour, while Israeli workers earn NIS 40 to NIS 45. Some 14,000 Palestinians currently are employed legally in Israel, more than twice the number of foreign workers from other countries. A report released last week by the Eckstein Committee - a panel for shaping the country's policy on non-Israeli workers, headed by the Bank of Israel's deputy governor, Prof. Zvi Eckstein - recommends not employing non-Israelis in farming and construction as a means of creating jobs for uneducated, unemployed Israelis. The report says this would raise the wages in these fields and reduce poverty. The report also recommends employing Palestinians only within agreements that take into account the negative effects on Israelis' employment and wages. The report recommends obliging employers to deposit Palestinian workers' wages directly into their bank accounts, and raising the cost of employing them in construction by at least 120 percent and in farming by at least 40 percent. Industry, Trade and Employment Minister Eli Yishai, who is believed to oppose the proposal, was unavailable for comment on Saturday. Related articles: Haaretz.com TV: Film offers look at Palestinian migrant workers living underground High Court: Israeli labor laws to apply to Palestinians who work in settlements Builders seek permits for 10,000 additional Palestinian workers Study: W. Bank laborers earn less than 50% of minimum wage Bookmark to del.icio.us   'No good Jewish men' Author David Seidman delves into the dark side of dating, and confesses: 'I am a bad Jew.' Remembrance trail Holocaust memorial steam-drawn train sparks bitter row in Berlin.   1.   Maybe they can all work for Haaretz 02:51  |  steve from Raleigh 13/04/08   2.   Tme to think about the future 02:58  |  mike 13/04/08   3.   Permit for Demolition of Land 03:29  |  Zev 13/04/08   4.   pali "murder" permit 03:35  |  ljf-canada 13/04/08   5.   ENOUGH. 05:29  |  MR 13/04/08   6.   the ignored issue of security 06:02  |  Jon 13/04/08   7.   Steve from...: Haaretz kicks ass...and you love it! 06:24  |  Haaretz Groupie 13/04/08   8.   Let Rice and Blair arrange work visas to the US and UK 06:38  |  Stright Talk 13/04/08   9.   US/UK/EU ALWAYS Put Muslims before Jews and other infidels 06:43  |  Linda Rivera 13/04/08   10.   PM seeks 5,000 more Palestinian work........ 07:02  |  martin list, m.d. 13/04/08   11.   Bank of Israel should impose a Financial Blockade!!! 08:04  |  The Archives 13/04/08   12.   Worst form of discrimination 08:04  |  vogel 13/04/08   13.   Bank of Israel should pay the palestinians...... 08:11  |  The Archives 13/04/08   14.   Olmert does not care a bout nation, only personal POWER!!!! 08:44  |  Ben Uziel 13/04/08   15.   WHEN WILL THIS GOVERNMENT DISAPPEAR 08:49  |  MJ 13/04/08   16.   Cheap at the price! 09:26  |  Palestinian Brit 13/04/08   17.   To Palestinian Brit # 16 - Give Israel some credit please..... 12:53  |  Dagma 13/04/08   18.   To Palestinian Brit # 16 - Give Israel some credit please..... 12:53  |  Dagma 13/04/08   19.   To Palestinian Brit # 16 - Give Israel some credit please..... 12:53  |  Dagma 13/04/08

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