National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has vetoed an attempt to advance a pilot program that would bring dozens more Jordanian workers into agricultural jobs in the Eilat region. The move, designed to address labor shortages in agriculture, hit a wall of opposition from security and police officials who warned of potential security chaos in the south.
According to sources in the police and the Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security agency, there are several flaws and dangers in expanding the pilot. Police inspections revealed that Jordanian workers are moving freely throughout the city of Eilat without any oversight, despite employers’ commitments to strict supervision. The Eilat region includes vast and isolated areas, and the limited police and military presence makes it difficult to control the workers’ movements.
Officials in the region note that criminal activity already exists among the Jordanian workers, placing additional strain on exhausted security forces. Shin Bet and police representatives expressed sharp reservations about expanding existing agreements and emphasized the difficulty of controlling the workers in civilian areas.
In response to his decision, Ben-Gvir said the government will not allow the Eilat region and the city of Eilat to become a security experiment. Bringing Jordanian workers into Israeli territory is an unnecessary risk to state security, and our first duty is to protect the safety of our citizens and our sovereignty in all parts of the country—not to abandon residents’ security for economic interests.
His office said it will continue to stand guard for Israel’s security and to strengthen governance in the Negev and Arava while maintaining order and security for residents of the south.