Situation Report - Developments and Reform in the Employment Conditions of Palestinians in Israel

This report covers three main issues. First, the work permit reform, which went into effect in December 2020, shifts Israel’s employment of Palestinians away from employer-designated permits to sector-designated permits. This reform has the potential to end the practice of binding workers to employers and the black-market trade in work permits resulting in exorbitant brokerage fees paid by Palestinian workers. Second, the impact of COVID-19 on workers. Workers' status was changed overnight from commuters to seasonal workers, and while they stayed in Israel for weeks at a time, little attention was paid to their basic rights to safe housing, health and unsupervised leisure time. Third, developments in legal proceedings concerning socio-economic rights, such as sick-pay and pensions. Using quantitative surveys, in-depth interviews and documentary analysis, the report considers these major changes, their impact on the workers, and what other measures are still required.