Israel expands quota of foreign agricultural workers to fill manpower shortage

The Israeli Cabinet on Sunday approved an increase of 10,000 foreign workers in the quota of foreign workers for the agricultural sector. This decision comes in response to substantial losses in production and manpower faced by the agriculture sector in the war-torn country.

Before October 7, there were 29,900 foreign workers, predominantly from Thailand, engaged in farms, orchards, greenhouses, and packing plants; however, most have returned to Thailand.

Compounding the issue, Israeli workers who could potentially fill the gaps are on military reserve duty, and the entry of 10,000-20,000 Palestinians, traditionally employed depending on the season, are currently prohibited from entering Israel.

Lawmakers from the Likud party have vowed to keep Palestinian workers out, saying they pose a security risk.” This addition joins the increase of 9,000 foreign workers that was approved only a few months ago,” said Agriculture Minister Avi Dicther in a statement.

“Also, the addition will make it possible to reach a situation in the near future where a farmer in Israel will farm according to his needs and ability and not according to the quota of workers given to him,” Dichter added.

Many farms are located in evacuated areas near the Gaza Strip and Lebanese border. Around three-quarters of Israel’s vegetables were grown in the farms, kibbutzim and moshavim devastated by Hamas terrorists on October 7.

The Cabinet’s decision comes on the heels of a January 16 terror attack in the Israeli city of Ra’anana. Two Palestinians identified as Mahmoud Zidat, 44, and his nephew, Ahmed, killed a 79-year-old woman and injured 16 others in a car-ramming and stabbing spree.

The two, from the Hebron-area of village of Bani Naim, were working in a Ra’anana carwash even though Israel’s National Security Agency (Shin Bet) blacklisted them from entering Israel as security risks. The owners of the carwash are currently under arrest.

With inputs from ANI.