A Likud minister spoke out sharply Wednesday against a decision by the West Bank Jewish settlement of Ariel to require Arab day laborers to wear special tags with the words “Alien Worker.”
Ehud Olmert, a Likud minister-without-portfolio, called the ostensible security measure “insensitive and unwise.” His rebuke was the most outspoken so far from a right-wing politician.
Olmert pointed out that the tag inevitably conjures up images of the yellow Star of David that Jews were forced to wear in Nazi-occupied Europe.
The parallel was also cited by others, but contemptuously dismissed by Mayor Ron Nahman of Ariel.
Olmert also criticized the decision by the Petach Tikva municipality to build a paddock where Arab workers from the territories would be required to assemble daily to be picked up and dropped off by their Jewish employers.
A city official explained that the idea was “to prevent them from roaming in the town.”
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
