Subscribe to Print Edition | Sat., February 23, 2008 Adar1 17, 5768 | | Israel Time: 01:26 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Tank deal hinges on permits for Turkish workers By Ruth Sinai Defense Minister Ehud Barak will seek cabinet approval on Sunday for a deal to extend the work permits of 800 Turkish construction workers in exchange for a contract from the Turkish government to upgrade hundreds of tanks. This is effectively an extension of an existing deal that expired in December. Turkey requested the extension during Barak's visit to Ankara last week. Advertisement The original deal, signed in 2002, gave Israel Military Industries a $700 million contract for the tank upgrades. In exchange, Turkey would benefit from the workers' repatriated earnings, expected to total tens of millions of dollars over the life of the five-year contract. However, the extension may face a legal challenge. The Hotline for Foreign Workers had petitioned the High Court of Justice against the original deal, claiming that the Turkish labor contractor that supplied the workers was mistreating them, but the state had refused to let them switch employers, thereby violating an earlier court ruling against agreements that bound workers to a single employer. The court rejected the petition in September 2007 on the grounds that the contract expired in three months anyway. But if the deal is extended, the petition is likely to be resubmitted. Moreover, the Finance Ministry opposed the original deal, since it wants to reduce the number of foreign workers, and may oppose the extension as well. In that case, cabinet approval is not guaranteed. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Auschwitz gimmick U.K. Tory chief draws fire for calling school visits to Auschwitz a gimmick. 5 Stops in Galilee Rock hares, peach orchards, a taste of the past, and walking the Jesus trail.

Today Online Bradley Burston: This November, I'm voting christian Responses: 100 Iron Dome system found to be helpless against Qassams Responses: 216 Nasrallah: We're readying for war with Israel within months Responses: 304 U.S. to announce new aid plan for West Bank, Gaza Strip Responses: 161 Daniel Levy: Obama's change could be good for Israel Responses: 109 McCain, a supporter of Israel with a 'Judeophile' brother Responses: 131 More Headlines 21:59 Sderot mayor denies calling for cease-fire talks with Hamas 20:09 Three Palestinians killed in IAF strike on northern Gaza 01:26 Skinhead-turned-Haredi embodies Poland's renewed Jewish life 21:59 Foreign Ministry: IAEA report proves Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons 00:41 Turkish army kills 79 PKK rebels in Iraq as offensive widens 22:09 Abducted IDF soldier's brother: We're afraid he'll be next Ron Arad 15:32 U.K. Jews irked by Tory chief's 'gimmick' reference to Auchwitz trips 14:22 Ramon calls for evacuation of settlers east of security fence 20:47 Settlers attack left-wing activists escorting W. Bank shepherds 18:31 Barak to hold consultations Sunday on proposed Egypt border fence 11:26 Arab states threaten to rescind 2002 Saudi peace initiative 12:18 IDF arrests senior PFLP operative in Nablus refugee camp Previous Editions Select Day 22 feb 21 feb 20 feb 19 feb 18 feb 17 feb 15 feb 14 feb 13 feb 12 feb 11 feb 10 feb

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