Amman, May 22 - The Senate Labor and Social Development Committee, headed by Senator Issa Murad, discussed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in the fields of labor and social development during a meeting on Thursday with Palestinian Minister of Labor Dr. Inas Al-Attari and her accompanying delegation.
The Palestinian delegation included Shaher Saad, Secretary-General of the Palestinian Federation of Trade Unions; Abdo Idris, President of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture; Mahmoud Hawashin, Secretary-General of the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions; and Dr. Hind bin Ammar Al-Tarawneh, Secretary-General of the Arab Trade Union Confederation.
Senator Murad affirmed Jordan's steadfast and supportive stance toward Palestine and its cause, both at the official and popular levels, noting the importance of the meeting in shedding light on the economic and social challenges facing the Palestinian people.
He pointed to international efforts supporting Palestinian workers' rights, particularly the upcoming vote at the Geneva Conference on June 5th to grant Palestine observer status in the International Labor Organization (ILO), making it the second international organization to recognize it after the World Health Organization. He called on all stakeholders to unify efforts to support this initiative.
Senator Murad addressed a number of topics to enhance joint cooperation, most notably supporting the establishment of a Palestinian social security institution and exchanging expertise in the fields of digital transformation, vocational training, and developing labor legislation.
Muraad addressed the issue of the wages of more than 200,000 Palestinian workers working inside Israel and the need to advance this issue internationally to guarantee their financial and social rights. He emphasized Jordan's readiness to provide the necessary technical support to establish an integrated social security structure in Palestine.
For her part, the Palestinian Minister of Labor expressed her deep appreciation for Jordan's supportive stances on the Palestinian cause, describing them as nationalistic, humanitarian, and historic.
She pointed to the worsening challenges facing Palestine, particularly the Gaza Strip, which has been officially declared a famine zone, with unemployment rising to 52 percent.
Minister Al-Attari emphasized the importance of strengthening partnerships with Jordan in the areas of training and employment, developing labor legislation, and establishing a social security system that contributes to protecting the Palestinian workforce.
She commended the efforts of the Palestinian Employment Fund in supporting entrepreneurship and small projects, despite limited resources, emphasizing the need to activate the border crossings, given their pivotal role in strengthening Palestinian resilience.