According to Kav LaOved, an NGO working for the protection of rights of disadvantaged workers employed in Israel and by Israelis in the occupied territories, the Indians landed in batches between December 2007 and April 2008.

In a digest of complaints submitted to the immigration administration of Israel, which is available with this newspaper, Kav LaOved said that on December 3, 2007, 10 workers, who arrived in Tel Aviv through a manpower recruitment agency, were charged $5,000 at the airport for work permits, but they did not get jobs. Instead, they ended up losing their money and legal status.

Most workers landed in Israel on visit visas. Unable to find their employers and having overstayed on visit visas, they were detained by the immigration authorities and sent to jail.

Early this year, Carlo Jossy paid $9,000 to a manpower company in India. When he reached Israel, an agent of the company told him that his employer had passed away and that he had to find another job by himself. Much to his surprise, Jossy later discovered that the person he was supposed to work for was alive.

Five other Indians, who paid $9,000, were stranded in Israel as there was nobody to receive them at the airport when they landed, and they had no clue about whom to contact.

Dr Bernard D' Sami of Arunodhaya Migrants Initiative, a Chennai- based NGO which is in touch with the Israeli voluntary organisation told the Times of India, "This is the first time we are coming across Indians being held up in Israel without proper work papers. This calls for a concerted effort on the part of the ministry of external affairs, ministry of overseas Indian affairs and the immigration authorities."

Minister for overseas Indian affairs Vayalar Ravi was not available for comment.

daniel.george@timesgroup.com

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