The Invisible Men

One of the cruellest ironies of the occupation is that Palestinians are building it. Tens of thousands of labourers are employed in construction of the wall, settlements and the industries around them. Despite a 2007 Israeli High Court ruling that gave the same rights to Palestinians working in settlements as Israelis, the reality is still low wages, hazardous conditions and no job security.

Worker in the Ariel settlement

The Barkan industrial area is the hub of discontent. It stands not a stone’s throw from Ariel, the largest settlement in the West Bank and home to 30,000. Over 100 companies from around the world are based in Barkan, employing over 6,000 people, more than half of whom are Palestinian. The 2007 ruling had the effect of upping wages to an average of 10 shekels (£1.50) an hour,

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The Invisible Men