Sri Lanka sends thousands more workers to Israel as Gaza assault continues

by admin
Sep 12, 2024

Sri Lanka is pressing ahead to send nearly 2,252 agricultural workers to Israel, to make up for vacancies that were previously occupied by Palestinians, after Israel enforced sweeping revocation of Palestinian worker permits in several sectors.

The decision comes after more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched a war against Gaza in October 2023. 

A group of 69 Sri Lankans received airline tickets from the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment, with their departures scheduled for September 12 and 18. These individuals are part of an agreement that allows Sri Lankan workers to be employed in Israel for 5 years and 5 months. The selection process for this program is carried out through a lottery system run by Israel’s FIBA organization, with the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment. 

This initiative comes despite Sri Lanka repeatedly highlighting the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where thousands of civilians have been killed. Sri Lankan officials have pointed to the situation in Gaza as an example when calling for international attention on global humanitarian issues. Despite these statements, Sri Lanka has maintained its labor relationship with Israel, especially in the agricultural sector.

Israel’s farms, particularly in the central and southern regions, have traditionally relied on thousands of Thai and Palestinian workers to cultivate the land and bring in harvests. However, following the Hamas assault on October 7, many Thai workers fled the country, and Palestinian workers have been largely banned from the workforce. This shortage of labor has led Israeli farms to issue urgent calls for workers to help with the harvest.

The deepening of trade and diplomatic ties comes even as Sri Lanka claimed that it has demanded an immediate ceasefire and a supply of humanitarian aid to Gaza. 

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