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For months now, general discontent with the government has been brewing within Israeli society. This Sunday, however, it seems to have reached a boiling point, as Arnon Bar-David, head of the Histadrut (Israel’s largest trade union federation), has called for a general strike. So, what exactly is going on?
What’s Behind the Strike?
Following the Israeli military’s announcement of the discovery of six hostages’ bodies in the Gaza Strip, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid (of the centrist Yesh Atid party) has called on the Histadrut and Israeli employers to go on strike this Sunday.
“They were alive. [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu and the ‘death cabinet’ chose not to save them. There are still living hostages; an agreement could still be reached. Netanyahu is not seeking it [an agreement] for political reasons,” Lapid said.
Later in the day, the head of the powerful trade union federation announced that starting at 6:00 AM on Monday, “the entire Israeli economy will be on general strike,” stating that “we must end this disregard for the hostages.”
This call, marking the Histadrut’s first foray into politics since October 7, has sparked anger from the government. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich even denounced the strike as illegal, accusing the union of playing into Hamas’ hands.
The families of the hostages hope the strike will help rally public support and pressure Netanyahu to withdraw his new demand that Israeli forces remain stationed along the Philadelphi Corridor, on the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip.
This condition has become a major stumbling block in the negotiations between Israel and Hamas. Bar-David stated that “the hostage agreement is stalled due to domestic political considerations.”
Nevertheless, the Israeli labor court in Bat Yam ordered the strike to be lifted at 2:30 PM, three and a half hours earlier than planned by the Histadrut. Bar-David has called for compliance with this decision.
How Influential Is the Histadrut?
Smotrich’s concern over the general strike call underscores the significant influence of the Histadrut.
Founded in 1920 to give a “human face” to Israeli socialism, the Histadrut today comprises 28 unions and has 800,000 members. With such substantial sway in the Israeli economy, this labor federation can disrupt the country.
Ministries, authorities, and government services are on strike, although some have opted to continue operations as usual. All major banks are participating in the strike, along with the Israel Business Forum, which represents most private sector employees from 200 of the country’s largest companies.
Notably, in April, the Ministry of Finance reported that the country’s budget deficit had increased to 132.2 billion shekels ($35.4 billion), or 7% of GDP. A general strike could therefore have a considerable impact on public finances.
Could the Strike Be a Game Changer?
For months, Israelis have been staging protests and strikes to sway the government, apparently with little success. Could the general strike bring about any meaningful change?
In an interview with This is Beirut, political scientist Barah Mikaïl, an expert in Israeli politics, stated that “the Tel Aviv Labor Court’s decision to end the strike due to its political nature and misalignment with union guidelines is likely to affect the real impact of the protest.”
“But this in no way diminishes the symbolic yet powerful nature of the protest, nor the fact that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is indeed under significant political and public pressure,” he adds. According to Mikaïl, “this strike, along with the anger it reflects over the inadequacy of Netanyahu’s chosen strategy for the hostage release, is unlikely to result in his removal from office. Nor does it seem to threaten the political survival of his government.”
Mikaïl concludes, “There will likely be more popular protests. However, I don’t believe that this strike called by the Histadrut will fundamentally change the Israeli landscape. It’s an indicator, yes, but honestly, it does not reflect the direction of the majority of the Israeli population.”
