In the petition, which was filed at the request of the Minister of Finance and the Prime Minister, it was argued that the strike “is not a strike for the purposes of a collective labor dispute, and as such, it is a political strike.”
The general strike, which began today at 6:00 AM, was initiated in response to the severe events and public pressure to bring back the hostages. Despite the petition, the strike began as planned, affecting many sectors of the Israeli economy.
In the transportation sector, Ben Gurion Airport was on strike for only two hours, between 8:00 and 10:00 AM. During these hours, there were no departures, and no luggage removed from arriving planes, with around 15 flights expected to be impacted. The Airports Authority advises passengers to check the flight schedule and with their airlines. However, Israel Railways operated as usual.
In the commercial sector, the impact is particularly noticeable. BIG Shopping Centers announced the closure of all their centers and parking lots. Ofer Malls also joined the full shutdown of all malls and shopping centers. In contrast, Azrieli Malls chose a more flexible approach, allowing each business owner to decide based on their discretion.
However, the Histadrut emphasized that many essential services would be exempt from the strike. Hospitals will operate on a weekend schedule, ports will release perishable goods and medicines, and special education will continue as usual, including transportation. Fire and rescue services, Magen David Adom (MDA), the Israel Electric Corporation, and Mekorot (Israel’s national water company) will operate in emergency or weekend mode. Supermarkets and food chains operated as usual, as well as daycare centers for children from birth to three years old.
The Histadrut stresses that no actions should be taken that could endanger human lives or national security. Additionally, an Exceptions Committee was established to address special needs and urgent cases.
