Israel | Workers’ strike for Netanyahu’s reform paralyzes Ben Guirón airport

Ben Gurion International Airport, Israel’s main airport, today canceled the departure of flights after calling a strike by its workers in the framework of a widespread protest against the controversial judicial reform promoted by the government of Benjamin Netanyahu.

“I ordered the immediate stoppage of takeoffs,” announced today the president of the airport workers’ union, Pinjas Idán.

Although the flights that had already begun boarding were authorized to take off, a spokeswoman for the Airports Authority confirmed that the rest of the departures have been canceled for the moment.

Regarding flights from abroad to Israel, the spokeswoman stressed that those already in the air will be able to land and explained that it is not yet clear what will happen to the rest of the flights scheduled for this Monday.

In addition, he explained that the airport is operating with “minimum services” and that the situation “is being managed” to avoid a collapse at Ben Gurion.

This move comes shortly after The General Union of Workers of Israel, the country’s largest union, will announce the start of a general strike today in case Netanyahu doesn’t stop judicial reform.

Shortly after, municipal authorities, health centers, shopping centers, and workers in the high-tech sector announced that they would join the strike; while the universities already woke up closed today.

These announcements take place in the run-up to an anticipated speech by Netanyahu in which, according to local media, he is expected to announce the interruption of the controversial judicial reform, which has triggered massive demonstrations for three months.

Last night, more than 650,000 Israelis filled the streets of the entire country shouting “democracy, democracy”, after the dismissal of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who last Saturday became the first member of the Government to ask to stop the reform .

The protesters have already taken to the streets of the main cities of Israel and thousands of people have moved to Jerusalem where a massive protest has been called in front of Parliament at 2:00 p.m. local time (11:00 GMT) to force the paralysis of that legislation.

The controversial judicial reform seeks to grant more power to the Executive to the detriment of Justice, whose independence would be undermined and would limit the supervisory capacity of the Supreme Court.

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