Unions say ‘blatant’ violations of international wage protections have tipped many into extreme poverty

Ten trade unions have accused Israel of breaching international labor law by holding back pay and benefits from more than 200,000 Palestinian workers since 7 October.

The Israeli government stands accused of “blatant” violations of the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) protection of wages convention, tipping many Palestinians into extreme poverty.

Workers from Gaza and the West Bank, employed in Israel, did not receive payment for work completed prior to last October – when Hamas militants led an attack that killed nearly 1,200 people in southern Israel – and have received no wages since, according to the complaint. The attack triggered an Israeli assault on Gaza that has killed more than 41,000 Palestinians and laid waste to much of the territory.

A complaint filed on Friday aims to recover the wages of Palestinian workers who previously worked in Israel.

“Two hundred thousand workers in the West Bank lost their jobs,” said Assaf Adiv, executive director of Maan Workers Association, an independent workers’ organization in Israel. “They did not receive any compensation and have been suffering ever since from extreme poverty.

“Thousands of workers who risk entering Israel without permits face repression, humiliation and even death. Workers are a major social layer in Palestinian society that is peaceful and doesn’t associate with Hamas and thus should not be...

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