The Rights of Palestinian Workers in Israel and its Settlements: Towards a Protective Policy

Abstract

In April 2010, the Palestinian Authority passed a law aimed at banning goods produced in settlements and urg​ing Palestinians not to work in the settlements or provide them with technical or material assistance. Despite this, Palestinian governments have seldom adopted a public policy that includes plans or programs to put an end to the practice of Palestinians working in the settlements, further entrenching a colonial model based on the exploitation of Palestinian workers in Israel and the settlements. This paper thus proposes a public policy that protects the rights of Palestinian workers. This policy is divided into two interconnected levels. The first level is international and regional and seeks to strengthen legal efforts to protect the rights of Palestinian workers in accordance with the provisions of international law and international humanitarian law. The second is local and seeks to ensure the right of Palestinian workers to establish an independent Palestinian labor union that protects workers from Israeli exploitation.