First of 6 Labor Exchanges Opened on West Bank for Arabs

October 28, 1968

JERUSALEM (Oct. 27)

The first of six labor exchanges to be established on the West Bank was officially opened in Jenin on Friday and the rest will be opened within the next few days. The exchanges are intended to find jobs in Israel for local Arabs in areas where no Israeli labor is available. An estimated 2,000 West Bank Arabs are seeking employment in Israel out of a population of about 90,000 in the area. The exchange will be run by two local officials under the supervision of an Israeli manager, Job priorities will be given to workers with families. The Jenin labor exchange was to have been opened last Wednesday but student demonstrations in the town caused a postponement. The exchanges are intended to eliminate the practice by some Israeli employers of recruiting Arab workers on the West Bank at lower wages than those prevailing in Israel.