Infiltration of Israel is Illegal and Dangerous, But Many Palestinians Don't Have Any Other Choice

The fence separating Israel from the West Bank contains dozens of holes used by Palestinians as illegal crossings and which enable them to work inside the Jewish state. According to estimates, every day these pockets help some 50,000 illicit employees enter the country. Most are employed in the fields of construction and agriculture.

Mohammed, a 22-year-old Palestinian from the West Bank city of Hebron whose full name cannot be disclosed for security reasons, seems to be an ordinary university student.

The Criminal

However, once a week he becomes a criminal who crosses the security fence separating the Palestinian territories from Israel illegally, seeking to work in the Jewish state.

"I wake up at 2AM in the morning and leave my house by 3.30AM. The idea here is simple. I need to reach the security fence very early, before the sunrise, and cross over to Israel without being caught by the IDF".

The so-called security barrier, the construction of which started in the early 2000s to put an end to Palestinian terrorists infiltrating Israel, spans on more than 460 kilometres.

Israel controls all the checkpoints connecting the West Bank to its territory and it is the one that determines who will be allowed in. To get that permission, a Palestinian normally needs to prove that they require special treatment at one of Israel's hospitals, or they need to show that they have an employer who is ready to vouch for them.

Tens of thousands of Palestinians who work inside Israel are normally employed in the fields of construction or agriculture. However, to get such a work permit, they need to go through a long and laborious process, and they also need to meet the criteria introduced by the country's security apparatus.

One such criterion is the minimum age of 28. Another is a clean record, while a third is the marital status of the potential employee. Israel permits only married Palestinian men to work inside its territory, a policy that's based on the presumption that they are least likely to commit terror attacks against Israeli targets.

"After realising that I will not be allowed to work in Israel because of my age and my marital status, I decided to do it illegally", confesses the young man. "So I am using a hole in the fence to infiltrate into Israel to make a living".

Illegal Crossing

Today, there are dozens of holes in Israel's security barrier that are used by Palestinian workers as illegal crossings. According to estimates, some 50,000 Palestinians cross that way into the Jewish state on a daily basis in a bid to find decent employment and escape poverty.

"I want to make some money to finish my university studies. In the West Bank [where the unemployment is high - ed.] it is difficult to find a job. In Israel it is more realistic, and over there I am getting some $155 a day, whereas in our territories I cannot count on more than $31", says Mohammed.

However, penetrating Israel is not an easy task. Apart from getting up early and crossing the border illegally, Mohammed also needs to walk for some 45 minutes until he finds a taxi that will take him inside the Israeli territories. And that journey could get him arrested or killed.

"There is always a possibility that settlers would spot me and catch me. If they do, they might abuse me or even kill, so this is scary. There is also another threat -- the one of being arrested by the Israeli soldiers".

Threat to Israel's Security?

Israel treats these holes in the security barrier as a potential threat to its security, because apart from illegal workers, these gaps can also be used by terrorists who seek to infiltrate the Jewish state.

The recent Tel Aviv shooting attack, where three people were killed, was just one such instance when a Palestinian terrorist crossed over into Israel through one of the fence's many holes. This is the reason, why anyone who is caught infiltrating Israel faces several months in prison, and Mohammed was no exception.

A year ago, he was caught in West Jerusalem and was sentenced to 18 months in prison, but after being released, he resumed his illegal activity simply because he doesn't have any other option.

"The unemployment in the West Bank is high and I need to pay for my studies. I don't have any other choice", he reassures.

Every week, Mohammed is sent to a different location inside Israel, depending on the needs of the employer. At times, he works in construction at Tel Aviv's Jaffa port. Other times, he is engaged in the northern cities of Haifa or Nahariya.

For now, Israel seems to be turning a blind eye to such infiltrations. Although local authorities are well aware of the gaps in the fence, very little is being done to mend them. Mohammed says it is because Israel wants to enable Palestinians to work in its territories to ease the pressure from the West Bank's population. But he also warns that it is just a matter of time before the situation could flip.

"Any time there are tensions, Israel steps up its raids, and we -- the illegal workers -- are normally the first to pay the price. They hunt us down and arrest us but it won't deter me. In the end of the day, I still need to stay afloat".