At 2:30 p.m. Israel time, the Histadrut’s general strike came to an end. The strike, which was meant to increase pressure to reach a hostage release deal, began at 6 a.m. this morning.
The Israeli labor court ruled that the strike must end at 2:30 p.m., hours before it was scheduled to. Histadrut Chair Arnon Bar-David accepted that decision.
“We live by the rule of law and we respect the decision of the court,” Bar-David said. “Therefore, I advise everyone to return to work at 2:30 p.m. It’s important to emphasize that the strike in solidarity was an important move that I stand behind. Despite the attempts to color solidarity as something political, hundreds of thousands of citizens voted with their feet.”
Bar-David thanked the workers, unions, and industries that took part in the strike. “We proved that regarding the fate of the hostages, there’s no left and there’s no right. There’s just life or death, and we won’t allow life to be abandoned.”
He described the value of solidarity as “the glue of the nation of Israel.”
All government offices, authorities, and support units were on strike today. Many municipalities also took part in the strike, including Tel Aviv, Haifa, Be’er Sheva, and Ashdod. Social workers stopped providing social services and social services in the health system were provided on a Saturday schedule. Preschools in municipalities that were striking did not open, nor did universities across the country. Elementary schools and middle schools were open only until 11:45 a.m. Special education operated as usual.
Israel’s main bus companies participated in the strike, as did the Jerusalem light rail. The ports of Haifa, Ashdod, and Eilat all shut down as well. Workers at Ben Gurion airport also participated in the strike, delaying several flights. Takeoffs have since resumed.
Government hospitals operated on a Saturday schedule, as did several large private hospitals. The electric company and water company also only provided Saturday services. Firefighting and emergency response services operated as usual, as did supermarkets, Israel Railways, and daycare for children under 3.
Alongside the Histadrut strike, companies in the business sector are also striking as a show of support for a hostage release deal. The high school teachers’ strike, which was called late last month following the Education Ministry’s inability to reach a deal with the union, is also still ongoing.
In the central city of Rishon LeZion, the Azrieli mall was on a partial strike today. Galit, a retired teacher from the city, expressed her support for the strike. “Only this sort of power of a national economic strike will motivate the government to act,” she told Davar. “People need to vote with their feet at protests.”
Galit’s friend Yona was frustrated that the strike resulted in children being kept out of school. “We need to go up to the Knesset and not allow any minister or member of Knesset to enter,” she proposed instead.
Sapir, a young mother at the mall, also expressed her frustration. “This strike doesn’t help anything and only hurts people working,” she said. “It’s already hard for people, why make it harder? That doesn't mean, God forbid, that there isn’t support for the families. It doesn't help, it won’t help. To close down roads, to cause traffic jams—it’s unnecessary. Those people aren’t guilty.”
Rami, a retiree from Rishon who described herself as a right-wing Likud supporter, expressed her support for the strike. “This strike is just a taste of what’s happening in the field,” she said. “I believe that there will be a strike of one million, the public is at the brink. The hostages come before everything. I say that as someone who supports continuing the fighting—if you need to leave the Philadelphi [corridor] in order to get the hostages, then leave. We’ll go back to fighting afterwards.”
This article was translated by Leah Schwartz.
