There was great anger among numerous Israelis on Sunday following the Histadrut’s announcement calling a general strike on Monday to “protest” against the government rather than against Hamas for the heinous executions of six hostages.
Fortunately, unlike the last time the Histadrut abused its power and shut down the country in a politically motivated strike, almost all cities and companies refused to join the strike, and several legal appeals were filed against it, forcing Histadrut chairman Arnon Bar-David to capitulate and tell the Labor Court in Bat Yam that he will end the strike on Monday at 6 p.m. rather than Tuesday morning.
However, the Court ruled early Monday afternoon that the strike must end by 2:30 p.m. at the latest, saying its ruling that the strike is politically motivated.
Even before the ruling, the strike was unsuccessful at “shutting down the country,” and instead was met with an overwhelming refusal from dozens of municipalities and companies, with only the cities of Tel Aviv, Kfar Saba, and Givatayim joining in the strike. Flights at Ben-Gurion took off as usual on Monday after only slight delays and most flights are expected to take off on time the rest of the day. Some malls, banks, and several high-tech companies joined the strike but the overwhelming majority did not.
Many Israelis, especially bereaved relatives of fallen soldiers and those whose loved ones fought or are fighting in Gaza, expressed fury at Bar-David, slamming him for behaving like a bully by calling an irresponsible strike that only aids Hamas in its relentless mission to divide Israeli society.
The Tikva Forum, which represents the family members of some hostages, stated on Sunday: “The announcement by Arnon Bar-David and his friends of a general strike in the economy is a death sentence for the surviving hostages and a reward for Sinwar for the murder of six hostages. We call on the citizens of Israel to ignore the Histadrut’s irresponsible and dangerous strike and prove to the whole world that ‘Am Yisrael Chai.’ We won’t break despite the overwhelming pain and we’ll continue to fight the murderers until all the hostages are returned and Hamas is destroyed.”
Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich filed an injunction request to Israel’s Labor Court on Sunday to declare the protest illegal. Additionally, a number of relatives of fallen soldiers filed an appeal to the Labor Court as well as the Supreme Court against the strike. Smotrich also announced that any workers who participate in the strike will not receive their salaries. In a statement to the press, Smotrich slammed Bar-David as “fulfilling Sinwar’s dream and representing the interests of Hamas rather than those of Israeli workers.”
Bereaved parents were especially furious about the strike. Bereaved father Itzik Bontzal, the father of fallen soldier, First Sgt. Amit Bonzel, H’yd, who fell in battle in Gaza in December, spoke to reporters outside the Labor Court, excoriating Bar-David for his cooperation with Hamas. “Hisdatrus chairman, you’re a savage animal (פרא אדם) and we’re going to stop you,” he said.
Bereaved father Chagay Lober, father of fallen soldier Elisha Yonatan Lober, H”yd, also slammed Bar-David for his tyrannical actions; “My son was not killed on your mission and didn’t go to battle on your order. What right do you have to interfere in war decisions that could kill soldiers and hostages?”
The head of the Gvura Forum, Yehoshua Shani, father of fallen soldier Uri Shani, H’yd, said: “The strike you’re leading weakens the people of Israel. We should all unite in one front against terrorism, not against the government. Instead, pressure the government to increase the military pressure until victory. We know how much military pressure overwhelms Hamas. I call on the heads of the economy – don’t lend a hand to the strengthening of Hamas.”
Members of the Religious Zionist Noam party protested outside the home of Bar-David on Monday morning, chanting: “Political strikes aid Hamas!” and waving signs stating: “Sinwar, Bar-David is your continuation.”
Additionally, bereaved relatives of fallen soldiers who are members of the right-wing Gvura Forum and their supporters protested on Monday outside the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem, calling on the government to resist the pressure to give in to Hamas’ dangerous demands by ending the war.
“Shutting down the economy is a prize for Hamas,” the bereaved parents said.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
3 Responses
Good there are some people with common sense in Israel who understand that those protests and strikes play into the hand of Hamas.
But as long as they can topple the right wing government with Natanyahu, they don’t care about the real consequences just as they didn’t in the run up to the Simchas Torah massacre.
these protesters are sickos who hate our right wing religious government with Bibi at the helm.
I am in awe of and salute Benjamin Netanyahu and those in his cabinet for strongly standing firm to hold onto the Philadelphi Corridor – an essential act of self-defense critical to prevent Hamas’ future rearming, and thereby preventing the deaths of tens or perhaps hundreds of thousands of future Israelis. We lost 704 soldiers fighting this war so far in order to disarm Hamas. Arnon Bar-David and others want to give all of that up and allow them to die in vain? (Note that Sinwar was only able to do what he did because he was freed in a previous deal). Hostage families are in an impossible and painful position. We tremble and shudder for the hostages still in captivity. But we tremble more for the hundreds of thousands of Israelis who will die if the next generation of precision missiles and drones enter Gaza through the Philadelphi Corridor tunnels. We also tremble at the possibility that thousands more Sinwars will be let out of jail to immediately and energetically plan the next murders, beheadings and rapes against Israelis . Benjamin Netanyahu, do not be blackmailed by confused union workers, politicians and others who ignorantly carry out illegal strikes and other divisive actions that only harm the State of Israel and give much pleasure to our enemies.