The Israeli government announced plans to hire workers from Bharat and other countries to replace Palestinian laborers whose work permits were revoked due to the conflict with Hamas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had discussed this move with Bharatiya Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December.
Israeli ambassador Naor Gilon confirmed the departure of the first batch of Indian construction workers to Israel under a government-to-government agreement. He expressed optimism about strengthening the bilateral relationship between India and Israel through this initiative.
The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) of Bharat, a public-private partnership entity, played a crucial role in organizing the recruitment process. They have been conducting interviews and screening sessions in states like Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to select workers for employment in Israel.
However, the Bharatiya government has not officially commented on this development. The external affairs ministry stated earlier that the government-to-government agreement for sending Indian workers to Israel is still being finalized.
Concerns have been raised by labor unions and rights groups about the safety and well-being of Bharatiya workers in Israel, especially in light of the advisory issued by the Indian embassy urging Indians to move to safe areas amidst the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Despite these concerns, hundreds of workers from India have undergone tests for various construction-related jobs in Israel, following the signing of an agreement between Bharat and Israel in November 2023.
According to pamphlets on the NSDC website, the jobs in Israel offer competitive salaries, but workers are required to cover their travel and relocation expenses, as well as pay taxes, social security insurance fees, and monthly health insurance fees.
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