In 1947 the UN Special Commission on Palestine summarized the situation : The economic life presents the complex phenomenon of two distinctive economies — one Jewish and one Arab , closely involved with one another and yet in essential features separate . . . . Apart from a small number of experts , no Jewish workers are employed in Arab undertakings and apart from citrus groves , very few Arabs are employed in Jewish enterprises . . . . Government service , the Potash company and the oil refinery are almost the only places where Arab and Jews meet as co-workers in the same organization . . . . There are considerable differences between the rates of wage for Arab and Jewish workers in similar occupations . In recent times there have been attempts at reviving the practice of hiring exclusively Jewish labor in Israel and the occupied territories , particularly after the Second Intifada . Selective hiring practices are illegal in Israel under the Act of Equality in Employment , however many employers cite overriding security concerns . In 2004 an Israeli website promoting Hebrew Labor was shut down under pressure from the Mossawa Center for Arab Rights . American Jewish donations to the Mossawa Center . In March 2008 in light of the Mercaz HaRav massacre which was initially reported to have been perpetrated by an Arab employee of the seminary , Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky ruled “ it is completely forbidden to hire Arabs , especially in yeshivas ” due to the “ concern of endangering lives ” . One week later the Chief Rabbi of Hebron and Kiryat Arba , Rabbi Dov Lior ruled that " it is strictly prohibited to hire Arabs , or to rent houses on Israeli land to them . Their employment is out of the question , not only in the yeshivas but also in hotels or factories ; basically anywhere . " " Hebrew labor " is often also referred to as " Jewish labor " although the former is the literal translation of " avoda ivrit " . According to Even-Zohar the immigrants of the Second Aliyah preferred to use the word " Hebrew " because they wanted to emphasize the difference between their " new Hebrew " identity and the " old Diaspora Jewish " identity . For them the word " Hebrew " had romantic connotations with the " purity " and " authenticity " of the existence of the " Hebrew nation in its land " , like it had been in the past
Mercaz HaRav massacre
Mercaz HaRav massacre
Hebrew labor