Foreign workers in Israel: history and theory

Area of Science:

• Sociology
• Economics
• Political Science

Background:

• Israel's labor force shifted from Palestinian workers to foreign workers starting in 1993.
• This transition occurred within the context of Israel's established reliance on noncitizen labor from occupied territories.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a descriptive history and theoretical analysis of labor migration to Israel.
• To examine the factors influencing the initiation of foreign labor flows into Israel.
• To analyze the interplay between structural predispositions and political determinants in labor migration.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive historical analysis.
• Theoretical analysis using dual labor market theory.
• Examination of state policy determinants.

Main Results:

• Dual labor market theory offers insights into labor migration to Israel.
• State policy is crucial for understanding the initiation of these migration flows.
• A cumulative model explains the process: structural factors create a predisposition, and political factors actualize it.

Conclusions:

• The Israeli experience illustrates a cumulative model for initiating labor migration.
• Both structural economic factors and political decisions shape foreign labor importation.
• Understanding labor migration requires analyzing both economic structures and state policies.