The 12 "new" tribes of Israel

By Andy Faur

8 - Foreign Workers

Totalling to a population of approximately 250,000 people, although no official data can accurately state the exact number. There are people that come from all over the world: Romania, Russia, Thailand, Phillipines, Polond, Ecuador, Colombia, Chile, Senegal, Ghana, and countless other so-called Third World countries.

This is a relatively new phenomenon in the Israeli landscape. Starting in the 1980's as a way of overcoming shortages of workers (mostly Palestinians) in the agricultural, constructional and other sectors of the economy. This came as a result of the continued closure of the territories in the first Intifada.

This phenomenon has been and still is expanding up to this present day. They live in all parts of the country, but their main concentration is around the old central bus station in Tel Aviv, where there can be an appreciation of a cultural, social and educational underworld, of the mosts exciting (which is of great concern for many people ...).

Approximately half of the people in this group are living illegally in the country. Either because their work and residence permits have expired or they chose to stay and work illegally (despite the risks) before returning to their country of origin and, perhaps, start a new life in the land of milk and honey. This is a very complex problem for the police and the government of Israel, having to deal with this difficult and confronting sensitive issue.

Another aspect, which does not develop in this article is the size of the worker's rights and human rights of those who enjoy (or not, as in most cases) these people.


The whole arcticle can be read in: http://www.hagshama.org.il/es/recursos/view.asp?id=1315