Histadrut aids foreign workers after missile strike their home

Adi Marcus

Jun 21, 2025

At 7:00 a.m. last Thursday, an Iranian missile struck a residential building in Holon. The apartment, home to five Uzbek construction workers newly arrived in Israel, was hit just an hour after they’d left for work. By chance, they survived. But their home was destroyed.

Foreign workers in Israel, often out of sight and off the radar, face unique dangers during wartime. Far from home, unfamiliar with emergency protocols, with clear language barriers, and reliant on employers for housing and support, they are among the most vulnerable.

But in this case, they were not alone.

Within hours, the Histadrut’s Building and Wood Workers Union mobilized. Wael Abadi, head of the Union’s division for foreign labor, rushed to the site, assessed the damage, and helped furnish a new apartment for the workers—beds, clothes, hygiene items, and more.

Wael Abadi, head of the division for foreign labor

“At the Histadrut, we don’t differentiate between Israeli, foreign, or Palestinian workers,” Abadi said. “We’re committed to everyone’s safety and rights.”

Some of the provisions gathered by Wael for the workers

The workers had been in Israel for just one week.

Wars tend to focus attention on citizens—soldiers, families, politicians. But behind the scaffolding of Israel’s cities are thousands of foreign laborers whose contributions are vital. Their exposure to danger, combined with isolation and language barriers, makes the role of our trade union essential.

Mazal Golan, Chair of the Histadrut’s Building and Wood Workers Union, said all foreign workers are registered union members upon arrival and receive training in safety and workers’ rights, with interpreters if needed.

“They left their homes to help build this country,” Golan said. “In moments like this, it’s our duty to stand by them.”

The site of the missile hit, where the workers lived.

In addition to emergency housing, the Histadrut’s Building and Wood Workers Union has worked with Israel’s Occupational Safety and Health Institute to translate safety instructions from the Home Front Command into Arabic, Chinese, Thai, and Hindi, in an effort to close critical gaps.

For the Histadrut, solidarity is not just a slogan. It’s a lived commitment to every worker, Israeli and foreign alike, who labors to build the future of this country.

This article is based on a Davar article published in Hebrew