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Trains delayed, cancelled in Israel as strike takes effect: Report
Israel’s Ynet News is reporting disruptions to light rail services in Tel Aviv and West Jerusalem as workers joined a general strike called to pressure Netanyahu’s government to secure the release of captives held in Gaza.
Tevel, the company that operates light rail services in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, said train services will “operate in a reduced format” and that there may be disruptions and delays, according to Ynet.
In West Jerusalem, operator Cfir said the city’s light rail system will not operate until 12pm local time (09:00 GMT) because of the strike called by Histadrut, the country’s largest labour union.
Services will return to normal once the strike ends, Cfir said, according to Ynet.
Israel’s finance minister says striking workers will not be paid
Bezalel Smotrich said he has directed the treasury not to pay anyone who joins the general strike called by Histadrut.
The far-right minister, who has also called on the courts to stop the strike action, also accused the chairman of Histadrut, Arnon Bar-David, of working in the interests of Hamas’s leader Yahya Sinwar.
“I regret that instead of the Histadrut Chairman choosing to support the State of Israel in these difficult times by helping to strengthen the Israeli economy, support businesses, and back reservists, he is effectively fulfilling Sinwar’s dream,” Smotrich said in a statement.
“Instead of representing Israeli workers, he chooses to represent Hamas’s interests.”
Israeli court to hear petitions against general strike: Report
Israel’s Labour Court is set to hear a petition seeking an injunction against the general strike declared by Histadrut at 10:30am (07:30 GMT) today, according to Ynet News.
The petition was filed by smaller right-wing organisations representing the families of Israeli captives held in Gaza, including the Tikva Forum, which called the strike a “death sentence for the surviving hostages”.
Israeli government seeks injunction against Histadrut strike
The Times of Israel and Ynet News are reporting that Netanyahu and Smotrich have filed a court request seeking a ruling against the ongoing strike, declared by the labour union Histadrut.
The petition asked the court to declare that the strike “announced by the Histadrut chairman, regarding all employees of the state, is not a strike for a collective labor dispute, and is, therefore, a political strike”.
