The state of Israel wants migrant caregiving workers, it needs them. But it wants them without lives, needs, wishes or souls of their own. This is the message the state conveys when it seeks to deport dozens of women and their children, children who were born in Israel, most of them more than 9 years old.
559 caregiving workers have been employed in Israel for over 16 years, legally, with state-issued permits. 2228 workers have been employed here between 12 and 16 years. What do these statistics mean? They mean the state allows and encourages these workers to stay, under the condition they will suspend the course of their lives, without falling in love, raising children or starting a family. They are expected to freeze in time, in order to care for our parents, grandparents and disabled family members. If somebody has already gotten pregnant and gave birth, she is required to send the child to her home country, parting from the child before they turn 5. If the mother’s partner is working in Israel as well, one of them is deported immediately because in the eyes of the state they are just caregivers who have come here to serve us, not humans who possess needs and emotions.
Kav LaOved stands in solidarity with the thousands of women we meet day by day, who give their lives for the livelihood of their far-away familes, who devote their time to work that serves all of us and our loved ones. The bare minimum we can do for them is prevent the deportation of them and their children who’ve grown in Israeli society and don’t know any other place. Hebrew is their language and Israel is their home.
