Information on whether the Ministry of Labour would refuse to consider upgrading the skills of a non-Jewish person because the state's employees must be Jewish [ISR15407.E]

According to a representative of the Embassy of Israel in Ottawa, religious affiliation is not as important in hiring or promotion in the public service as whether or not a person has performed military service (4 Oct. 1993). Non-Jews can work in the Israeli public service (Ibid.). However, certain jobs such as the ones related to national security, require that the applicant have performed military service, and because non-Jews such as Palestinians, Christians or Bedouins do not always serve in the army they cannot apply for these jobs (Ibid.). This information was corroborated by a representative of the Society of St-Yves, a human rights organization in Jerusalem (Ibid.).

This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References

Embassy of Israel, Ottawa. 4 October 1993. Telephone interview with representative.

Society of St-Yves, Jerusalem. 4 October 1993. Telephone interview with representative.