Israeli Border Police forces arrested 432 Palestinian workers from the West Bank in a large-scale operation last week, on the grounds that they were “living without permits,” after they entered in search of work and to provide a decent living for their families. The police also arrested 55 people suspected of helping them.

According to the police, "432 Palestinians residing illegally in the country and 55 suspects of assisting them were arrested over the past week, as part of the Border Police's preparations for the month of Ramadan. The campaign included Jerusalem and its surroundings, in addition to other areas, with the aim of enhancing security and preventing the entry of Palestinians into the country without a residence or work permit."

She added, "The police, through Border Guard personnel, will continue their efforts during the month of Ramadan to thwart the presence of Palestinians and arrest anyone who helps them, while maintaining the security of citizens and ensuring that events are held in a safe and regular manner."

Persecution of Palestinian workers

In this context, the Israeli police continue to pursue Palestinian workers on the pretext of “residence in the country without permits,” and also pursue their employers in the country.

Palestinian workers who hold permits suffer when they go to their workplaces, as their day begins very early, before dawn, and they wait for hours at Israeli military checkpoints, where they are subjected to harassing inspections, before continuing on their way to the workplace.

Palestinians, whether they have permits or not, are looking for work in Israel because there are not enough jobs in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and also because the wages they receive are higher than those in the West Bank and Gaza, after the occupation weakened the Palestinian economy.

The police continued their campaigns in Arab towns, in the Galilee, the Triangle, the Negev and the coastal cities, to search for Palestinian workers from the West Bank. The pursuit has turned into a nightmare for Palestinian workers who work in Arab towns, due to the police and special units pursuing them. The police arrest workers from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip who entered to work and provide a living for their families.

A number of Palestinian workers are forced to sleep on the ground, in warehouses, shelters and under trees in order to continue their work in the country, to provide a living for their families and relatives, due to the policies of strangulation and preventing economic development in the West Bank, which suffers from a lack of employment opportunities, unemployment and poverty.