One peculiar side effect of Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza is a shortage of agricultural workers in Israel. Now, the African country of Malawi seeks to help fill that gap.
Three months after the Israeli government began recruiting laborers from Malawi to work in Israel’s farms, the Malawian Parliament approved the scheme Feb. 15.
Malawian government officials had traveled to Israel on a fact-finding visit during which they interacted with Malawians already recruited to work in Israel, labor unions and Israeli government officials.
“The workers reported that in some farms, Malawian workers were facing challenges, particularly pay differences, overtime pay and some routine issues of sanitation facilities in some cases, which were being addressed when reported,” said Joyce Chitsulo, leader of the fact-finding mission, in a report published by VOA. “The Malawian workers generally indicated that they were working according to their contracts and were being treated well. As such the delegation encourages both government and Malawian youths to take advantage of job opportunities available in Israel.”
Malawi should act quickly on this opportunity, she said, because there is competition from other countries.
“Considering that there is competition from other countries to export labor to Israel, it is imperative for the government of Malawi to expedite the process of signing (a) government-to-government agreement that would guide formal operationalization of labor export,” Chitsulo said.
Prior to now, the recruitment of Malawians to work in Israel was being handled by agents and there were concerns the recruited workers might be taken advantage of if government doesn’t properly regulate the deal.
Michael Lotem
Israel’s labor shortage is due not only to the hundreds of thousands of Israelis sent to execute the war in Gaza but also because many foreign farm workers in Israel — mostly from Palestine and Thailand — abandoned their work or fled the country for fear of their lives.
Apart from Malawi, a country in southeastern Africa, Israel also is recruiting laborers from Kenya and India.
In December, Kenya’s labor ministry announced the African country will send 1,500 of its nationals to Israel, on a three-year renewable contract. Each worker would reportedly earn $1,500 per month.
An estimated 100,000 foreign workers are expected to be engaged by Israel to fill the labor gap in the country.
These labor deals have been criticized by some observers within and outside Africa — on the grounds they show support for Israel, which has received much flak globally for its ongoing attacks in Gaza that have reduced most of the cities to rubble and claimed nearly 30,000 Palestinian lives. More than twice that number have been wounded, and Israel’s actions have created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
Concern also is expressed for the safety of foreign laborers being sent to work in Israel. But Michael Lotem, Israeli ambassador to Kenya and Malawi, in an interview published by The Nation, a Malawian newspaper, discounted those fears, saying the recruited workers will not be put in harm’s way.
“They are not going to Gaza. They will work in Israel,” he said. “They will not be less secure than any other Israeli. We will take care of them as much as we are taking care of Israelis. Of course, we are cautious that we do not have to allow people (in) to certain areas that are targeted by Hamas, especially the borders.”
“We need this labor after 350,000 Israelis were recruited in the military and left a gap in some sectors.”
Both Israel and Malawi stand to benefit from the labor program, he added. “It is a win-win situation for both countries. Malawians will be earning $1,500 a month and on top of this they will gain knowledge. I think the biggest incentive is the knowledge. Money comes and money goes, but knowledge stays. Of course, that is on the Malawi side,” he said. “On our side, we need this labor after 350,000 Israelis were recruited in the military and left a gap in some sectors. It is a win-win situation and it is a pity that there are a lot of political connotations on this in Malawi.”
Edwin Nyirongo
Edwin Nyirongo, a journalist based in Blantyre, Malawi, told Baptist News Global why he believes the Malawian government didn’t oppose the employment program.
“Government has supported the idea for two reasons: First, to reduce unemployment and second, to bring in forex as they (workers) will be sending money to their relatives in the country,” he explained. “I talked to the minister of information and digitization who is also government spokesperson, Moses Kunkuyu, who said they are planning to make it government-to-government so that people in the country benefit as they will be employed through district labor offices.”
He added that in Malawi, “political parties have not argued against the initiative apart from complaining about nepotism as they claim that only ‘connected’ people (benefit from) the opportunity.”
Yet this also highlights a failure of the Malawian government to create employment opportunities at home for its citizens, he continued. “It shows that government has failed to create employment for the youth.”
And these jobs inside Israel may not be as safe as they appear, he warned. “It was mostly Palestinians who were working in those places. How would they feel if they hear that Malawians have taken their jobs?”
Anthony Akaeze is a Nigerian-born freelance journalist who lives in Houston. He covers Africa for BNG