The Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI), representing 12 million workers in construction, building materials, wood and forestry sectors affiliated to 351 trade unions across 117 countries, firmly rejects the proposal to forcibly displace Palestinians from Gaza and stands in solidarity with our affiliate, the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU) construction branch, in demanding the right of Palestinian workers to rebuild their homes, communities, and future on their own land.

The devastating conflict has caused tens of thousands of deaths and left thousands construction workers unemployed, destroying livelihoods and causing severe financial insecurity, economic distress and widespread hardship. The employment freeze imposed by Israel since October 7 has denied over 150,000 Palestinian workers their jobs and wages, forcing entire families into poverty. While Gaza lies in ruins and the West Bank faces economic strangulation, Palestinian workers are further being pushed down a path of exclusion, economic marginalization, and dispossession.

This crisis demands a lasting ceasefire, not only to halt the violence but to allow for the urgent work of reconstruction and recovery. Without a commitment to long-lasting peace, Palestinian workers will remain trapped in a cycle of destruction and displacement, unable to return to their jobs or rebuild their communities.

With 80% of Gaza’s buildings reduced to rubble, PGFTU President, Shaher Saad condemned the declarations by the U.S. President, stating: 

"Every Palestinian standing on their land is like a mountain: rooted, immovable, and unshakable. The forced deportation of our people is a conspiracy that will not pass. This is not just an attack on Gaza, but a policy of starvation that targets all Palestinian workers, from Gaza to the West Bank. 

Our people have struggled for decades, and we will not be reduced to a workforce in exile. Palestinian workers must be at the center of reconstruction, not driven away from their land,"

The forced displacement of Palestinians would not only be a violation of international law but also a direct attack on workers’ rights. Every worker, regardless of nationality, has the right to decent work, fair wages, and the ability to sustain their families. The destruction of Palestinian livelihoods, alongside the physical destruction of their communities, is a deliberate act of economic warfare.

BWI General Secretary, Ambet Yuson reaffirmed BWI’s commitment, stating:

"Palestinian workers want to rebuild, not to leave. Forcibly displacing them would be a crime against humanity. The international building and construction trade union movement rejects this proposal and demands justice, not just in words, but in action.

We stand with PGFTU in demanding immediate protections for Palestinian workers, their livelihoods, and their right to be the builders of their own future. Without a lasting ceasefire and a just peace, workers will never be able to return to their jobs and rebuild what has been destroyed,"

The path to peace in the region cannot be built on forced exile but on justice, reconstruction, and the right of workers to restore their communities. We call on the international community, governments, and trade unions worldwide to:

• Ensure an immediate and lasting ceasefire to allow for reconstruction and stability.
• Reject any plans for the forced deportation of Palestinians from Gaza.
• Restore Palestinian workers’ right to employment and wages.
• Guarantee that Palestinian workers are included in the reconstruction process.
• Hold accountable those responsible for the systematic violation of workers’ rights through the ongoing proceedings at the International Labour Organization (ILO).

Palestinian workers are not passive victims; they are the backbone of Gaza’s reconstruction and Palestine’s economy. They do not seek displacement, they demand the right to rebuild, to work, and to live with dignity in their homeland. 

The only real future of Gaza is not exile, but reconstruction and peace.

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