Labor dispute to shutter crossings with Gaza, West Bank on Sunday

Major crossings between Israel and the Palestinian territories are expected not to open on Sunday due to a labor dispute, halting the transfer of goods and preventing around 70,000 Palestinian workers from entering the country.

Workers of the Defense Ministry’s Border Crossing Authority, which administers many of the border terminals between Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip, are protesting their employment conditions, and say their wages do not properly reflect the risks they contend with as part of ther jobs.

The union representing crossings workers told Hadashot news that they had reached an impasse in talks with Treasury officials.

“If state representatives at the talks don’t come to their senses and help bring an end to the crisis, the union intends to escalate its steps later this week,” it said in a statement.

Among the border crossings affected by the strike will be Gaza’s Erez crossing — the main passage point for civilians in and out of the Strip — as well as the Kerem Shalom crossing, the main point of entry for goods into Gaza.

Essential equipment and humanitarian aid will be let through despite the strike.