Morocco shuts down office issuing fake Israeli work permits in Casablanca

Moroccan authorities closed on Wednesday an office claiming to issue work permits in Israel for Moroccan construction workers.

Situated in Casablanca, the office reportedly promised dozens of Moroccan artisans and construction workers work permits and alluring salaries in Israel.

"They said we will be paid good salaries. More than $US1,000 a month. I don't mind working in Israel if the salary is good. I am doing it for my family and I am not hurting or killing anyone," Aziz, a 32-year-old construction worker, told The New Arab.

The minimum wage for construction workers in Morocco is $US10 per day. 

During the past few days, tens of unemployed young Moroccans lined up in front of the office waiting for their turn to submit their resumes. Aziz said he submitted his papers for free and was not charged any fees.

On Wednesday morning, a Moroccan officer blocked the entry to the office building and informed the applicants that the office was closed. 

Meanwhile, the work permits' office hung an announcement in the building's entry saying they were closed for "administrative reasons". 

In a press release, the Israeli liaison office in Rabat said on Monday that it has "no links to the so-called 'mediation office' or any other office pretending to grant employment opportunities in Israel for young Moroccans."

During a visit to Morocco in June, Ayelet Shaked, Israeli interior minister, agreed with her Moroccan counterpart Abdelouafi Laftit to hire Moroccan workers in the construction and nursing sectors in Israel.

The Israeli liaison office in Rabat said Monday that Israel and Morocco had not officialised the accord yet, therefore no work permits could be issued as of yet.

Moroccan authorities have not responded officially to the incident.

It is not clear yet who is behind the office. Applicants said they talked to someone named David, who spoke in a Moroccan dialect of Darija. 

Since normalising ties in December 2020, Israeli and Moroccan officials have bolstered relations despite the growing anti-normalisation protests in Rabat.

Construction and infrastructure projects in Israel, and in Israeli settlements within the West Bank, are hugely dependent upon Palestinian labour. The number of Palestinian workers in Israel and Israeli settlements was an estimated 130,000 in 2019.

The exploitation of Palestinian workers and poor work conditions in Israel have been flagged continuously by several labour unions. 

The Israeli construction sector has one of the highest death rates of construction workers among member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Since February, several sources have stated that Tel Aviv plans to reduce its dependence on Palestinian workers by bringing skilled workers from Morocco.

BDS Morocco has condemned the Israeli plan accusing Rabat of middling in "making Moroccans hostages for the Zionist entity."