Government sources said optimistic teacher crisis will be resolved; union chief differs

Sources in the Finance Ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office are quoted by Hebrew media as expressing optimism and saying progress has been reached today in talks with the Israel Teachers Union on averting a nationwide strike at the start of the school year on Thursday.

While the talks are still largely stalled, the Walla news site says Treasury officials have described today’s discussions as “more productive” than before.

Various outlets quoted Prime Minister’s Office sources expressing optimism that a solution will be found and that the gap of NIS 800 million ($246 million) was too small to justify drastic measures like court injunctions.

The State Prosecutor’s Office says that if the relevant Finance Ministry officials ask for an injunction to prevent the teachers’ strike, it will be issued.

But unlike the government officials, Teachers Union chief Yaffa Ben-David sticks to her guns and tells Channel 12 news she doesn’t share the optimism, accusing Israel’s major TV networks of airing “spin” by the Treasury.