For a time, and from a very specific point of view, Israel’s anti-trafficking efforts could be seen as a success story. Trafficking for prostitution, identified as a significant problem in the late 1990s, was practically eradicated by the late 2000s. The Israeli state accomplished this by combining aggressive prosecution and significant penalties for perpetrators with strict border control measures, deporting victims and preventing new ones from entering. These measures, while contested, were highly effective in achieving their objectives.
Israel’s response to trafficking for labour exploitation, on the other hand, was never as successful. It lacked the commitment the government showed to ending trafficking for sexual exploitation, as well as a strong understanding of what fuels and shapes severe labour exploitation in Israel today.
The new National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking 2019-2024, published in early 2019 by the Office of the National Anti-Trafficking Coordinator in the Israeli Ministry of Justice, unfortunately offers more of the same. Its emphasis on awareness raising, training and victim support, combined with its neglect of the laws and practices enabling abuse in the first place, makes the same tired mistakes. Without a change of approach this plan will lead to the same unsatisfactory results.
