JENIN (Ma'an) -- Hundreds of Palestinian workers held a protest outside a northern West Bank crossing into Israel on Wednesday morning, slamming what they described as mistreatment by Israeli security staff.

Workers representative Mousa Tahayneh told Ma'an the Israeli forces had insulted and abused them as they waited to enter Israel via the Al-Jalama crossing early Wednesday.

Tahayneh said officials at the checkpoint regularly insult the workers and they decided the problem had to be addressed immediately. They picketed the checkpoint this morning and refused to cross in order to reach their work, he said.

Representatives met with the authorities at the crossing to deliver their demands, who promised to respond and improve the situation, he added.

Palestinian workers, seeking better wages in Israel, must secure special permits from Israeli employers and regularly queue at checkpoints from dawn to reach their place of work in time.