Indian workers assaulted in Ashkelon Israel, racial motivation alleged

Two Indian workers were subjected to racial abuse and beating in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon, nearing the Gaza border, as reported by the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation. Congress leader Pawan Khera posted on his social media platform, urging External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to urgently look into the matter.

According to the Public broadcaster, the attack was an "ambush". "Driven by racism and malice, a group of rioters from the south of the country plotted an attack, targeting the Indian workers in the neighbourhood, and beat them violently in the heart of a public park," says the report.

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According to the report, the attack was orchestrated on Instagram, and the miscreants followed the two Indian workers, started attacking with the intention to rob them, as foreigners are easy prey. The police arrested the two 19-year-olds in relation to the lynching. The report does not specify the victim's condition or medical care.

“It was a premeditated racist assault, planned over private chats. This is not the first such attack. And sadly, it may not be the last,” wrote Congress leader Pawan Khera in a post on social media platform X. Khera accused the government of shrugging off responsibility but celebrating “India-Israel” friendship.

India has been sending labourers to work in the construction and hospitality sectors since the October 7 Hamas attack, as Israel suspended the working rights of Palestinians. Since then, Israeli's have made this recruitment drive from India. The payment is lucrative, so workers are easily convinced to travel to conflict areas. The labour trade union, AITUC, sees this export of labour to warzones as a failure of BJP led central government to create 2 crore jobs annually.