Addameer, a human rights association, is urging the Palestinian government to take action against the issue of unemployment. This call to action comes as May 1st marks International Workers’ Day, a day dedicated to solidarity with the working class who are often exploited and deprived of their basic rights. It is a day to emphasize the need to protect and defend the gains and rights of workers and their families and to enact laws that guarantee them a decent life.
In a statement received by Media, Addameer confirmed that Palestinian workers continue to suffer from persecution and lack of legal protection and guaranteed rights. The organization highlights the weakness of laws and their inconsistency with international standards of workers’ rights, to which Palestine has recently acceded. Palestinian workers face tragic conditions, with Israeli employers who exploit them illegally and lack minimum standards of human and workers’ rights. They are also subjected to arrest, ill-treatment, and even murder, as seen in the recent case of Amin Abdel Qader Warda, a 59-year-old worker.
Moreover, Palestinian workers are not provided with protection and rights in the occupied territory, particularly for those who suffer work-related injuries, and there is no social security insurance for them and their families. In fact, workers who are injured while working in the occupied territory are not provided with medical care and appropriate treatment in hospitals, due to the lack of health insurance resulting from their need for work.
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On International Labor Day, the suffering of workers in Palestine increases, particularly in the Gaza Strip. Workers in Gaza suffer from low wages, the non-application of minimum wage legally, and the lack of plans and programs to reduce unemployment rates among them. Employers also encroach on their rights, particularly during work-related injuries, with no insurance for health and social security, which deprives them and their families of their basic rights to a decent life. Unemployment rates among workers in Gaza are high, reaching 45% by the end of 2022, with Deir al-Balah governorate recording the highest unemployment rate at about 55%, followed by Khan Younis governorate at about 49%, while the lowest unemployment rate was the North Gaza governorate at about 38%.
The Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip, the prevention of the entry of some goods and raw materials, and the destruction of facilities and factories have exacerbated the suffering of workers and contributed to raising unemployment rates among them.
Addameer congratulates Palestinian workers on International Labor Day and expresses deep appreciation and pride in their steadfastness. The organization affirms that workers’ rights are sacred and must be respected and provided for in a way that preserves the dignity of workers and their families. Addameer calls on the international community to put pressure on the occupation authorities to carry out their legal and moral duties to protect the lives of Palestinian workers, in accordance with the principles of human rights and standards of humanitarian workers.
Addameer also demands the need to develop plans, programs, and economic and social policies with the participation of the working class to solve the problem of unemployment. The Ministry of Labor is urged to implement the minimum wage and complementary regulations and regulations of the Palestinian Labor Law No. 7 of 2000. Labor and professional unions are also called upon to play their real role in protecting the interests and rights of workers to ensure a decent and sound human life for them.
It is important to recognize and address the suffering of workers in Palestine, particularly those in the Gaza Strip, who face numerous challenges and violations of their rights. The international community must step up to pressure authorities to take action to protect workers and enact laws that guarantee their rights. It is also crucial to involve the working class in developing plans and programs to solve the issue of unemployment and ensure decent lives
