New fines for employing Palestinians who enter Israel illegally

Business owners may now be fined up to NIS 452,000 ($116,000) for employing Palestinians who illegally enter Israel, police say.

The new set of punishments were proposed by Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan in light of the ongoing violence in Israel, some of which has been carried out by such illegal workers.

“Whoever employs Palestinians who illegally live in Israel endangers the lives of Israeli citizens,” Erdan says. “In the wave of terror it has been proven again how dangerous the presence of these people is in city centers and building sites. We must harshly punish those who employ and house these people.”

Business owners who employ Palestinians who enter Israel illegally repeatedly can be fined up to NIS 452,000, while one-time offenders can be fined up to NIS 75,000 ($19,300), with the minimum fine being NIS 5,000 ($1,300).