Israel’s national labor federation, the Histadrut, ordered a general strike on Monday in support of those who are demanding an immediate ceasefire deal with Hamas that would bring the Israelis held hostage in Gaza for the past 11 months home, no matter what the cost. The strike means that Israelis Monday morning must get by without most public transportation services and more. The government has condemned the strike saying that the labor federation should not involve itself in matters of national security.
Histadrut Chairman Arnon Bar-David Sunday night declared at a protest demanding a deal for the hostages’ release Sunday night saying, “Tomorrow, the entire nation will come to a standstill and unite in a shared cry to bring the hostages back.”
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“Anyone trying to paint the strike with political colors should remember who we are stopping everything for tomorrow,” he added, dismissing claims that the strike is illegitimate.
“This is not a matter of right or left; it is a matter of life and death,” said Bar-David. “All the heads of the security establishment support the deal, and it is the government’s responsibility to bring our hostages home. It is inconceivable that our children will not return because of narrow considerations and interests.”
“Any painful price we are required to pay for a deal to bring our sons and daughters home is far lower than the cost of continuing the abandonment. I call on the general public not to remain indifferent and to take to the streets tomorrow. The day of the strike is not for sitting at home but for going out to protest and to cry out the cry of our people. Do not lend a hand to incitement and division—lend a hand to saving lives.”
Numerous stores and shopping malls are shuttered throughout the country in sympathy with the strike and government offices are closed. Even Ben-Gurion Airport is being shut down for several hours Monday morning.
Israel’s Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich attempted to prevent the strike from happening.
Sunday night he contacted Israel’s’ ombudsman with the demand to “urgently petition the court” and issue a restraining order to cancel the strike.
“This is a political strike that is not under the authority of the Histadrut and has no legal effect,” said Smotrich.
Smotrich also ordered the salary supervisor to pass on a “clear directive,” which says that a government employee who does not come to work on Monday will not be paid.
“The heads of the Histadrut will not be allowed to turn the country upside down and use the workers as weapons to advance their political opinion,” declared Smotrich.
