
Since October 7, the construction industry has been in an ongoing crisis due to a ban on allowing Arab workers from the Palestinian Authority into Israeli construction sites. This has significantly impacted the sector, as explained by Tomer Badani, head of the construction department at Ariel Technical College.
Israeli construction has long been seen as dependent on Palestinian Arab labor, to the point where Israeli law contains specific leniencies to allow such workers to be hired easily. Similarly, COGAT, the IDF body responsible for work permits, uses a different quota for construction workers than for many other professions.
"The industry took a significant hit on October 7. They stopped the entry of Palestinian workers, and many of the Israeli workforce, including workers and managers, were called up for reserve duty. We faced a big crisis that has only recently begun to be alleviated as foreign workers started arriving," said Badani.
When asked about rumors that Americans had vetoed importing foreign workers to the construction sector to preserve economic prospects for Palestinian Arabs, Badani replied that he had no information on this and believed there wasn't such a restriction since Israel wasn't keen on the return of Palestinian Arab workers to construction sites.
As part of coping with the crisis, Badani mentioned that significant changes are being made at the college to align the offered courses with the sector’s specific demand. This includes a fast-track training program for site managers, direct work with construction companies, and activities to remove various barriers to allow the integration of more workers in the industry.
Regarding workers coming from abroad, mainly from India, Badani stated that although they provide a numerical solution, the wage for Indian workers is higher, and specialized training tailored to the nature of work in Israel is required compared to what they are used to in India. Language barriers also impact the ability to quickly train and adapt them to the Israeli reality.
Badani also noted a decline in work volume in the sector due to economic difficulties slowing down real estate purchases, "The economy is slowing, and this affects everyone," he said. He nevertheless remains optimistic about the potential to bring about change and reinvigorate the sector, partly by training workers from various backgrounds and populations.