…Labour activists and trade unions have raised concerns regarding the recruitment of Indian workers for jobs in Israel, as officials from Uttar Pradesh and Haryana are set to screen applicants for these positions. Activists argue that the Indian government is bypassing normal protections it normally employs for Indian labour going abroad to conflict zones…

These workers will not even be required to register themselves on the ‘e-migrate’ portal run by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the newspaper reported…

In December, the Uttar Pradesh and Haryana government invited applications from construction workers for job openings in Israel. The government plans to send at least 10,000 workers to the conflict-hit nation…

These jobs promise attractive salaries of approximately Rs 1.37 lakh per month, but lack details on contractual protections. Accommodation, food, and medical insurance costs will be deducted from the salary. Furthermore, the workers are expected to pay for their own tickets, and the NSDC charges Rs 10,000 per worker as facilitation fees, the daily reported, citing official documents.

Activists have called the move “inhumane”, saying that the government’s decision to fast-track the recruitment of Indian construction workers, nurses and caregivers even while Israeli operations continue in Gaza and the West Bank will put them in harm’s way…