Jerusalem, February 4, 2010 (Pal Telegraph; reprinted from The National, by John Cook) - Over the past four decades Israel has defrauded Palestinians working inside Israel of more than US$2 billion (Dh7.4bn) by deducting from their salaries contributions for welfare benefits to which they were never entitled, Israeli economists revealed this week. Emphasis mine. Original Source
Bad enough on its own merit, the article continues to expose the exploitation of Palestinian workers by the Histradut (Israeli Labor Federation) :
which levies a monthly fee on Palestinian workers, even though they are not entitled to membership and are not represented in labor disputes.Histradut also agreed to an additional 2 percent tax increase which helps to train newly arrived Soviet Jews for the construction industry. These "alien to the land" Jews of course replace "native to the land" Palestinians in the workforce.
I have been reading a bit about how boycott is "harming" Palestinians. Some collaborators and hasbaras who dare use the Palestinian persona online are fighting against boycott because they argue that this leads to more suffering of our beloved people.
When you hear or read that argument, please do not let it deter you. At the very least ask yourself, or the impersonator, these questions: "What conditions do Palestinians who work for Israeli companies endure? What pay to they receive? What guarantees do they have that they will be able to travel to their jobs on a daily basis? If taxes are docked from their pay, what benefits do the Palestinian workers stand to receive? What are their rights? How many actually have jobs in the first place? etc. etc. etc. "
This report from B'Tselem is brief but discloses a great deal.
From American experience, I know that one can compare these work conditions to those faced by illegal immigrants in the U.S. But Palestinians are not illegal citizens in Palestine, they are Occupied and as such, are supposed to be protected not blatantly exploited by a nation full of greedy bastards.
