Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed the Ministerial Committee on Foreign Workers to step up efforts to locate people working illegally in Israel and begin the process of deporting them.
Addressing the issue during last Friday’s Cabinet meeting, Netanyahu also directed Finance Minister Dan Meridor to make available all resources needed to facilitate the deportations.
According to labor officials, about 250,000 foreign workers are in Israel illegally.
Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Eli Yishai and Public Security Minister Avigdor Kahalani briefed the Cabinet on the situation and requested additional funds to carry out the deportations.
Two weeks ago, the government allocated more than $5 million for the deportation of 500 illegal foreign workers each month.
The money was allocated to house temporarily the workers in tent camps before their deportation.
But Yishai said the ministerial committee dealing with the issue of foreign workers was wary of housing them in tent camps because it might cause public protest.
Yishai said that in principle, 1,000 to 2,000 illegal foreign workers could be deported each month, but that would require a larger budget.
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