Since October 7, when Israel began its assault on Gaza in response to Hamas’s surprise attack, newspapers around the world have rightly focused on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s crimes in Gaza. Relatively little attention has, however, been devoted to his abuses of power at home where hundreds of thousands of Palestinian workers from the West Bank have been denied wages, along with the components of a dignified existence and civil liberties. Much like Netanyahu’s brutal campaign abroad, which is currently being investigated for genocide by the International Criminal Court, Israel’s denial of deprivation of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians of their rights has also drawn international legal attention.

On September 27, 2024, international trade union federations filed a complaint against Israel with the International Labour Organization (ILO) — one of the oldest international regulators based on tripartite collaborations between labor, capital, and governments. In their complaint, the unions argue that since October 7, the Israeli government has deprived millions of Palestinians who were employed in Israel for years until October 7 of their rights to livelihood and a dignified existence.

The discussion to be held in a tripartite tribunal at a yet-to-be-specified date will examine Israel’s violations of international conventions it has signed, primarily the convention ensuring the right to basic wages. In their request, the unions argue that Palestinian workers, who have been locked out of work since October 7, 2023, are still effectively employed and therefore entitled to their wages and, accordingly, access to their work. Although the ILO lacks the authority to impose sanctions, the upcoming discussion will affect Israel’s standing in the developed world. Meanwhile, in Israel, there is deafening silence.