Ramallah: Palestinian labourers working in 1948 areas are being increasingly hunted by Israeli police, according to an observer group.
Since October 2015, at least 645 Palestinian workers have been arrested, Shaher Sa’ad of the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions, Workers and Labourers told Gulf News.
“Many times their families do not even know they have been arrested,” he explained.
Palestinians who face crippling unemployment in the West Bank, work illegally in 1948 areas to earn a living for their families back home.
“These men do not pose any security risk,” he said.
Sa’ad described the arrests as “Israeli piracy” and said Jewish employers often report the illegal status of their employees to escape paying their wages.
He pointed out that even Palestinians who have legal work documents also face harassment by Israeli police as they check their papers several times a day, which eats into their work hours.
“Dozens have been arrested on baseless Israeli suspicions,” he said.
Around 60,000 Palestinians work in 1948 areas legally, according to Israeli statistics. It is estimated that an additional 50,000 work there illegally.
Since October, two Palestinians have been shot and killed by Israeli police while attempting to enter the 1948 areas to find work.
