In the aftermath of the controversial decision to dispatch Sri Lankan expatriate workers to Israel amid the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip, Minister of Labour Manusha Nanayakkara stated that the government is open to sending workers to Palestine, Russia, or Ukraine if those nations guarantee sufficient security measures for Sri Lankan workers.
Minister Nanayakkara disclosed that discussions among certain Members of Parliament have explored the option of sending Sri Lankan workers to Israel, aiming to garner support both within and outside the parliament.
Addressing the Israel-Palestine conflict, the minister underscored Sri Lanka’s non-aligned foreign policy, condemning past attacks on both sides. He emphasized, “We condemned attacks when the Hamas organization killed and attacked Israeli civilians, and now we condemn the attacks on Gaza by Israel. As a country, we maintain a non-aligned foreign policy, neither siding with Israel nor Palestine.”
The minister clarified that the decision to send workers to Israel is grounded in an existing service agreement between Sri Lanka and Israel. Furthermore, he highlighted the government’s commitment to prioritizing worker safety in such deployments.
