More than 220 Malawians flew to Israel on Saturday as part of a government labour export programme aimed at finding jobs for young people and generating desperately needed foreign exchange. With Malawi’s economy in deep trouble, thousands are ready to take on jobs on Israeli farms and orchards left deserted by the Gaza conflict. The Israeli ambassador told The Nation newspaper the deal was a “win-win” for the two countries. Malawians will earn good money and knowledge, while Israel will partly fill its labour gap. On top of the foreign exodus, some 350,000 Israelis have been called up into the military. Asian foreign workers have fled, while Gaza Palestinians have been barred since the October 7 Hamas attacks that unleashed the war. Dozens of foreign workers were among about 240 people that Israel says were kidnapped in the attacks.
SOURCE: AFRICA NEWS