Palestinian Workers Face Exploitation and Unsafe Conditions in West Bank Settlements
At 4 a.m., Wafa, a pseudonym, leaves her West Bank village to work in the Jordan Valley settlements, picking and packing dates and grapes for about 80 to 90 shekels a day without any contract, pay slip, insurance, or sick leave. She receives cash payments through intermediaries and has no legal proof of employment. Palestinian workers like Wafa face widespread exploitation across agricultural fields and industrial zones in the settlements, earning far below minimum wage, lacking safety measures, and subjected to arbitrary permit cancellations and debt agreements that prevent them from claiming their rights.
Since October 7, when Israel closed its labor market to tens of thousands of Palestinian workers, many have been forced to work under harsher conditions inside the settlements. Before the war, an estimated 25,000 Palestinians worked in settlements, but after the closure, only about 32,000 of the 48,000 previously employed there were allowed to continue. Israeli law theoretically guarantees Palestinian workers the same rights as Israeli employees in settlements, including minimum wage and compensation for workplace injuries, following a 2007 Supreme Court ruling. However, enforcement is minimal, and many employers evade these obligations.
Mahmoud, 28, who worked in a Maale Adumim industrial zone factory, described it as a "worker's graveyard," with 13-hour days, no safety gear, and humiliating treatment. His brother was injured on the job but received no compensation. Ahmad, a construction worker in settlements, recounted unsafe conditions, lack of protective equipment, unpaid overtime, and wage deductions for transportation and food. Workers often sign debt agreements and face permit suspensions if they seek legal help or question their employers.
In the Jordan Valley’s agricultural sector, the situation is even more precarious. Around 35 settlements rely on thousands of Palestinian workers, many without permits or any employment documentation. Intermediaries control wages and transportation, leaving workers unaware of their true pay and unable to prove employment in court. Vulnerable groups include women and children, who work long hours in harsh conditions without protective gear, often exposed to pesticides and chemicals causing chronic health issues.
Israel controls the settlements and the permit regime but fails to enforce labor protections. The Palestinian Authority, with limited jurisdiction, is expected to act against exploitative intermediaries but has limited capacity. Workers remain isolated in a system benefiting many but holding no one accountable. Neither the Civil Administration nor the Palestinian Ministry of Labor responded to requests for comment by publication time.
