unemployment in fsrael in 1984 was betlreen 9 and 13 per cent. In other words' moreA/ 40 /702 EngIi sh Page 143 than 120,000 Israell workers were unemployed. Hordever, according to other estimEtes released in fsrael itself, the official figure is far from the truth. The number of peopLe effectively unemployed is allegedly tr.rice as high and the rateof unemployment is expected to increase as a resulC of the failure of the "comprehensive economic conttacts'r which were supposed bo overcome the acute crisis. Predictably, the problen posed by unemployment will also be solved to Lhedetriment of the palestinians employed in Israeli produ'ctlon enterprlses andfirms. This solution ls currenely being envisaged by the Israeli Minlstry of Labour and llistadrut, without consultatlons on the flEtler. and it can be expectedto become effective shortlv. ft is a well known fact tha! the number of Arab workers behind the ncreen Line", i.e, the armistice line of 1947, has reached 1I0,000 to 120,000 in recentyears, yet Israeli statistlcs indicate that the figure is only 90,000 to 90,000. However, as these statistics do not take into account the number of eorkers in the Arab part of Jerusalem and its suburbs, of nhom there are betlreen 2O,O0O and 30,000, our estimate of the tota.l is obviouslv oore accurate. Most of these workers are at pregent employed for the following reasons: I. They accept difficult jobs (so-called ,'dirty erork") that are shunned byIsraeli workers i 2. As admitted by the Israeli sources themselves, the wages of Arab workers do not exceed 33 to 40 per cent of those paid to Israeli workersl 3. Arab workers are denied social security and paid leave, as well as unemploynent, accident and all other benefitst 4. They receive nothinq in return for the amounts deducted fron thetr wages, r,rhich are paid into ttre treasury of the fsraeli Ministry of War instead.
**Analysis**
The text primarily focuses on the issue of unemployment in Israel, specifically among Arab workers, and the disparities in their working conditions and benefits compared to Israeli workers. It also touches on the potential consequences of the Israeli government's plans to address unemployment, which may have negative impacts on Palestinian workers. The text's tone is critical of the Israeli government's handling of unemployment and the treatment of Arab workers.

**Category**
Employment, Humanitarian aid and relief