Despite the three-month-long Israeli-Hamas war that is ravaging Gaza and threatening to ignite the wider Middle East, thousands of Indians gathered at a recruitment center on Thursday for jobs that will take them to Israel. Will go.
Many in the crowd of men, mostly skilled construction workers and laborers, said they would take their chance in the war-torn country as they struggle to find jobs in India, where unemployment remains high despite a growing economy. Has been made.
Anup Singh, a college graduate and construction worker, was told that if he was selected to go to Israel he would earn about $1,600 per month – compared to the $360 he would earn as a monthly salary for the same work in India. Much higher than $420.
“So I’ve applied to go to Israel,” he said as he waited for his job interview at the center in Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state.
The men said they had heard media reports that Israel was facing a labor shortage due to the hiring of thousands of Palestinian workers following Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel on October 7, which triggered the war.
India, where GDP per capita is about $2,400 a year, looks poised to step in to close that gap.
The states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have advertised for about 10,000 positions for construction workers in Israel. State Labor Minister Anil Rajbhar said Uttar Pradesh has finalized a list of 16,000 people to be sent to Israel next month for final selection.
Rajbhar said the federal government’s screening center in Lucknow was in response to Israel’s request for workers.
The week-long recruitment drive began on Tuesday, with a 15-member Israeli team overseeing the process and hoping to fill more than 5,000 positions for masons, carpenters and other construction workers in Israel.
The crowd at the Lucknow center on Thursday was both anxious and hopeful. Many see this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that could change their lives for the better – even if it means working in a war zone.
“I know there is danger, but problems exist here too,” Singh said. He said he was willing to take risks so he could provide more for his family. “I’m going to be there for my kids.”
The recruitment drive for Israel has also highlighted flaws in India’s growth story, which has been championed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has focused on investing in big infrastructure projects to lure businesses and foreign investors.
On the one hand, India’s large economy is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and is being seen as a bright spot amid the recent global recession.
But unemployment remains a concern as India became the world’s most populous country last year. After a surge in salaried jobs over the past two decades, the pace of regular salaried jobs has stagnated since 2019 due to the coronavirus pandemic and overall growth slowdown, according to Azim Premji University’s State of Working India report.
The report said that although unemployment is falling, it is still high – above 15% for university graduates of all ages and almost 42% for graduates under the age of 25.
New Delhi and Jerusalem signed an agreement last year that will allow 40,000 Indians to work in construction and nursing in Israel. According to 2022 data from India’s Ministry of External Affairs, there are about 13,000 Indian workers there.
Last week, the ministry spokesperson had said India’s labor partnership with Israel began before the latest war.
Randhir Jaiswal said, “We already have a large number of people, especially in the care sector, in Israel and through this agreement, we want to ensure that there is regulated migration and that the rights of people going there are protected. “
He said India is committed to ensuring that its migrant workers are safe and protected.
According to government data released last year, about 13 million Indians are working abroad as labourers, professionals and specialists.
After his interview at the Lucknow center on Thursday, Biltu Singh said he was hopeful.
“They asked me questions about my skills,” he said, “but also asked why he wanted to go to Israel given the security risk.”
Singh said he shrugged his shoulders and told him: “What should I do? I am unemployed.”
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – The Associated Press)
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