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Article

8 May 2024

Author:
By Priya Sippy and Rafieka Williams, BBC (UK)

Malawians who abandoned Israeli farms deported

Twelve Malawians have been deported from Israel after leaving the farms where they were working, to get higher salaries elsewhere.

The 12 Malawians were among more than 40 foreign workers who were arrested while working at a bakery in Tel Aviv last week.

The workers, who were part of a labour agreement between Israel and Malawi, were unhappy with working conditions in the agricultural sector and found work in a bakery instead…

Last week, Benzani, a Malawian working in Israel, told the BBC that some of his compatriots working on other farms were being paid less than the minimum wage in Israel.

"The minimum wage in Israel is 32 shekels ($8.60; £6.85) an hour, but some of us are being paid 18 to 20 shekels an hour."

Benzani said many of them had signed contracts which said they would receive $1,500 a month.

Benzani is not one of those who were deported…

More than 200 Malawians went to Israel, while Kenya agreed to send 1,500 workers.

The announcement of the deal sparked mixed reactions in Kenya, with some concerned about their safety…

Timeline