The decision is a victory for the Association of Contractors and Builders.
The cabinet approved the addition of 5,000 Palestinian construction workers at its weekly meeting on Sunday. The decision was a victory for the Association of Contractors and Builders in Israel, which had been lobbying for months for increased manpower. The industry has not been able to attract Jewish workers. The decision boosts the number of Palestinian construction workers by 30% from the current 14,250. The workers will come from the Palestinian Authority, but not the Gaza Strip.
In early 2007, the government decided to gradually cut the quota of foreign construction workers from the current 15,000 to zero by 2010. Contractors said that the decision did not provide an alternative source of manpower.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on April 15, 2008
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