National labor union announces one-day strike: ‘A deal is more important than anything else’
Sam Sokol is the Times of Israel's political correspondent. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"
Histadrut Labor Federation chief Arnon Bar-David announces a general strike set for tomorrow over the failure to release hostages held in Gaza, stating that “a deal is more important than anything else.”
The action will start at 6 a.m. and is currently planned as a one-day strike, with Bar-David saying decisions beyond Monday will be made later.
“Jews are being murdered in the tunnels of Gaza. It is impossible to grasp and has to stop,” he declares at a press conference following a meeting with the Hostages and Missing Families Forum in Tel Aviv.
After speaking with various security officials, the labor leader says he believes the deal is stuck “because of political considerations” and argues that due to political polarization “we are no longer one people; we are camp against camp” and “we need to bring back the State of Israel.
“We are getting body bags instead of a deal. I have come to the conclusion that only our intervention might move those who need to be moved,” he declares.
“I call on the people of Israel to go out to the streets tonight and tomorrow and for everyone to take part in the strike,” he continues.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum earlier today called on the public “to join a massive demonstration, demanding a complete shutdown of the country” and appealed to the powerful Histadrut to stage a mass strike on Monday. Its call was taken up by the Israel Business Forum, which represents most private-sector workers from 200 of the country’s largest companies, as well as Opposition Leader Yair Lapid.
The Tel Aviv, Kfar Saba and Givatayim municipalities have all announced that they will join a nationwide strike in support of hostage families tomorrow.
