Labor migration in the public eye: attitudes towards labor migrants in Israel

'Die Schwerpunkte dieses Artikels sind (1) Einstellungen, Normen und Wertschätzung gegenüber Wanderarbeitern von außerhalb Israels sowie (2) die Abhängigkeit der Einstellungen von demografischen wie sozioökonomischen Merkmalen israelischer Bürger. Die Daten weisen darauf hin, daß Israelis deutlich negative Einstellungen gegenüber Arbeitsmigranten äußern. Diese werden in kultureller, sozialer und politischer Hinsicht ausgegrenzt. Die soziale Ausgrenzung manifestiert sich in sozialer Distanz und der Unterstützung diskriminierenden Verhaltens (besonders wenn es zu einem Eindringen in die Privatsphäre kommt). Darüber hinaus werden die Gastarbeiter häufig nicht nur als Konkurrenten auf dem Arbeitsmarkt gesehen, sondern auch als eine Bedrohung in anderen sozialen Bereichen wie Wohlstand, Ausbildung, Gesundheit und Wohnen. Steigender Wettbewerb um knappe Ressourcen führt zu einer größeren Fremdenfeindlichkeit. Die meisten Israelis scheinen Einwanderern soziale und politische Rechte vorenthalten zu wollen. Ein Teil der verwendeten Items dieser Untersuchung wurde aus dem ALLBUS 1996 übernommen.' (Autorenreferat)'The major goal of the present paper(l) is to describe attitudes, norms and values toward migrant workers, and (2) to evaluate the extent to which attitudes toward migrant workers are related to demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the citizens of Israel. The data indicate that Israelis have substantial negative attitude toward labor migrants. These are perceived as outsiders in the cultural, social and political spheres. The social exclusion is manifested through feelings of social distance and the support for discriminating behavior (especially when it comes to intrusion in citizens'private lives). Furthermore, foreign workers are often viewed not only as competitors in the labor market but as a threat in other social realms (welfare, education, health and housing). Increased competition over scarce resources, generates greater hostility toward outgroup members - the foreign workers. Most Israelis seem to be willing to deny them social and political rights. Part of the items was taken from the ALLBUS 1996.' (author's abstract)

La institucionalización de la migración laboral en Israel

In this paper we shed light into the process of institutionalization of labor migration in Israel. Specifically, we show the ways by which state regulations created a fertile ground for the creation of a precarious and captive labor force of non-citizens in the Israeli labor market. We focus on the following four main dimensions: (1) the policy of quotas, work permits, and subsidies; (2) the binding system which regulates employment relations; (3) the creation of an infrastructure for manpower agencies that over time became the main stakeholder in the institutionalization of labor migration; and (4) the creation of a complementary mechanism for the “discipline” and control of workers in the form of the deportation policy.El artículo se centra en el proceso de institucionalización del fenómeno de migraciones laborales en Israel. El análisis describe las formas a través de las cuales las regulaciones del estado crearon las condiciones para el surgimiento de una fuerza de trabajo precaria y flexible de extranjeros en el mercado laboral Israelí. Cuatro dimensiones del proceso de institucionalización son analizadas: (1) la fijación de cuotas, otorgamiento de permisos de trabajo y subsidios, (2) el sistema de empleo que regula las relaciones laborales llamado binding, (3) la creación de una infraestructura de agencias de reclutamiento que se benefician de la comodificación del trabajo a través del cobro de tarifas ilegales a los inmigrantes, (4) la implementación del sistema de deportaciones como mecanismo de control y castigo hacia los trabajadores que no respetan las condiciones del contrato

African Jewish Communities in the Diaspora and the Homeland: The Case of South Africa

As part of this Special Issue devoted to research on the Jewish communities in Africa and their diaspora, we focus on the case of South African Jews who emigrated to Israel. First, we analyze the socio-religious and cultural context in which a Jewish diaspora developed and marked the ethno-religious identity of South African Jews both as individuals and as a collective. Second, we examine the role of ethno-religious identification as the main motive for migrating to Israel, and third, we show the role of ethno-religious identity in the integration of South African Jews into Israeli life. This study relies on data from a survey of South Africans and their descendants living in Israel in 2008, and in-depth interviews. The findings provide evidence for a strong Jewish community in South Africa that created a strong sense of belonging to the Jewish people and a strong attachment to Israel. As expected, two of the key reasons for the decision to move to Israel were ideology and religion. The immigrants wanted to live in a place where they could feel part of the majority that was culturally and religiously Jewish. Finally, ethno-religious identities (Jewish and Zionist) influenced not only the decision making of potential immigrants but also their process of integration into Israeli life

Les migrations du travail en Israël. Du travailleur palestinien à l'immigré d'outre-mer

À partir des années soixante-dix, le patronat israélien fait appel à de nombreux travailleurs venant des territoires palestiniens dans l'agriculture et le bâtiment. L'intensification des violences au début des années quatre-vingt-dix, conduit à un contrôle accru des déplacements des Palestiniens en Israël et pousse les employeurs à obtenir du gouvernement qu'il autorise la venue de travailleurs immigrés d'outre-mer. Le recrutement de cette main-d'œuvre immigrée marque le début d'une nouvelle ère dans les relations entre Israéliens et Palestiniens.Raijman Rebeca, Kemp Adriana. Les migrations du travail en Israël. Du travailleur palestinien à l'immigré d'outre-mer. In: Hommes et Migrations, n°1272, Mars-avril 2008. Mondialisation et migrations internationales. pp. 86-97

What does a nation owe non-citizens? National attachments, perception of threat and attitudes towards granting citizenship rights in a comparative perspective

In this article we test the effects of national attachments (patriotism and chauvinism) and perception of threat on citizens' willingness to concede citizenship rights to immigrants in France, Germany (West and East), the USA and Israel. Our findings show that despite marked differences in countries' migration policies and conceptions of nationhood, no significant differences were found in attitudes towards the allocation of citizenship rights to immigrants. Furthermore, our analysis suggests that contrary to our expectations, 1) the effects of both chauvinism and patriotism on willingness to grant citizenship rights to immigrants were rather low in Germany and Israel — the two ethno-national states, and strongest in France and the USA — which stand for republican and multicultural models of incorporation, respectively; 2) the effects of threat on exclusion of immigrants from citizenship rights was weaker in Israel (ethnic democracy) but stronger in the liberal democratic countries. In the conclusion, we suggest possible explanations for these rather intriguing and paradoxical findings