Palestinian Economy & Workers Numbers & Distributions, Rights & Difficulties, C Area & Development

Total Labor Force1, West Bank Gaza Total Percentage of Unemployment 28.2% West Bank 27.5% Gaza40.2%

Participation in Labor Market: West Bank46.1% Gaza40.0% Male Labor Force74% Female Labor Force26% Male Unemployed 20.7% Female Unemployed31.7%

Location & Sector Workers Distributions: Services: 32% Gaza 43% West Bank35% Jerusalem 18% Israel 5% Settlements 2%

Construction & Supplementary Const.: 22% Israel 36% & 37% supp. const., Jerusalem 28% & 12% supp. const., Settlements 12% & 18% supp. const., West Bank 12% various construction Gaza 11% various construction

Agriculture: 14% Settlements 32% West Bank 15% Israel 13% Gaza 12% Jerusalem 2%

Industry: 7% Settlements 24% West Bank 8% Israel 6% Gaza 5%

Transport & Telecom:8% Gaza 11% Jerusalem 8% West Bank 7%

Crafts:7% West Bank 10% Jerusalem10% Gaza 4% Settlement 3%

To see how much workers have rights you have to see how much workers have difficulties!! In the Palestinian Labor Market, it is shown clearly that this market is very small. With a supply of annual graduates, where there exists no absorptive capacity in the public & private sectors to receive more than 6000 – 7000 workers maximum annually. So the annual accumulative of jobs shortfall is graduates.

Firstly, safe and dignified access to their place of work. Right to a reasonable life work balance. Rights to horizontal equality in salary and work conditions with Israeli workers Improving and strengthening labor legislation regarding social insurance, contracts, minimum wage decent work and social protection.

PGFTU supports sanctions (BDS) against Israel to induce its compliance with International Law. In particular, it seeks an absolute ban by the EU on trading in industrial, agricultural or academic goods/services from illegal Israeli settlements. The ICTU and its member unions should: Promote the exclusion of Israeli companies/organisations involved in colonial settlements from benefiting from EU funded programmes (e.g. HORIZON 2020). Demand full freedom for Palestinian economic activity in Area C of the West Bank (64% if its territory!) as demanded by the World Bank as essential for a Palestinian economy, but currently denied by Israel. Use their influence in European and international federations to promote full UN membership for a Palestinian State in the 1967 borders (with Jerusalem as its capital).