Finance Ministry aims to combat illegal hiring of Palestinians

Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, has ordered the establishment of a special commission aimed at tackling the issue of hiring Palestinians for construction projects in Judea and Samaria "under the table."

This practice involves bypassing registration and paying in cash without reporting to tax authorities.

The 2024 state budget includes a dedicated section focused on reducing cash transactions in Judea and Samaria. The Ministry of Finance has been actively working to promote non-cash payments across Israel to curb the prevalence of the "black market" in various sectors of the economy.

The special commission, to be led by the Auditor General of the Ministry of Finance or their representatives, will include members from the Tax Administration, Population Registration and Migration Authority, Bank of Israel, Judea and Samaria Settlement Council, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Labor, and National Economic Council. They are tasked with delivering recommendations to the Secretary of the Treasury within 90 days. Notably, local leaders of Judea and Samaria settlements will not be involved in formulating these recommendations.