The current framework governing Palestinian workers in Israel has its roots in the Paris Protocol of the Oslo Accords, established in 1994. This agreement designated the Israeli shekel as the official currency for the Palestinian economy while granting Israel control over borders, trade, tax transfers, and work permits. Researcher Walid Habbas from the Palestinian Forum for Israeli Studies, known as MADAR, notes that Israeli policies have fostered a dependency among Palestinians on the Israeli economy. Work permits, in particular, serve as instruments of control, with wages from these jobs accounting for nearly a quarter of the West Bank’s GDP. As a result, the income generated plays a vital role in sustaining households, local markets, and the tax base for the Palestinian government.
### Struggles of the Workforce
Raead, a contractor from Tarqumiyah, proudly recalls his twelve years spent constructing high-rise buildings in Israel. His home, adorned with polished stone floors and photographs of his father, a successful construction company owner, reflects a once stable financial foundation. However, Raead now faces a staggering debt of two hundred thousand dollars. He describes a grim reality where many Palestinian families are forced to sell their belongings—cars, furniture, jewelry, and even land passed through generations—as they struggle to make ends meet. “When people are desperate, they sell,” he remarks, encapsulating the dire situation many are experiencing.
### Pursuing Alternatives
Faced with a lack of opportunities, some Palestinians, like Ashraf—a media graduate from Hebron University—have resorted to crossing into Israel clandestinely for cash work in construction and agriculture. After eight months of unemployment, Ashraf weighed the risks of illegal border crossing against the certainty of hunger at home. He shared a video showcasing a man shot near the border, contrasting it with footage of others successfully scaling the wall. Despite the dangers, Ashraf’s TikTok account highlights the day-to-day lives of workers like him, offering a glimpse into their struggles. He critiques the Israeli work ban, viewing it as collective punishment, and expresses his desire simply to work and provide for his family.
### Focus on Survival Over Politics
Beginning my reporting in late 2025, shortly after a ceasefire was established in Gaza, I encountered Palestinian workers who seemed largely preoccupied with personal survival rather than the broader political landscape. With over seventy thousand Palestinians killed in the conflict, ongoing discussions outside the region emphasized the notion of genocide in Gaza. However, the workers I met in the West Bank seldom engaged in discussions about Gaza or political factions. Instead, they voiced frustration over the Israeli work ban and the Palestinian Authority’s inability to address the issue effectively. Some even laid blame on Hamas for eroding the economic stability they had long worked to achieve.
### The Fate of Gazan Workers in Limbo
In the wake of the October 7th attacks, many former Gaza workers were rounded up and relocated to various cities in the West Bank. In Ariha (Jericho), approximately 480 Gazans found themselves stuck in a military base operated by the Palestinian Authority Security Forces for two years. During my visit, I noticed both wealthy villas and encampments housing displaced individuals. Hussein Hamayel, the governor of Ariha, explained that the Palestinian Authority lacks the necessary resources to assist those affected by the work ban. The region remains under significant financial strain as Israel continues to withhold tax revenues vital for the Palestinian Authority, complicating their ability to support the workforce caught in this crisis.
In summary, the realities faced by Palestinian workers in Israel reveal a complex interplay of dependence, economic struggle, and political disenfranchisement, highlighting the urgent need for systemic changes that can provide more sustainable opportunities for employment and economic stability.