Amid Israel’s general strike, US prepares ‘final deal’ on ceasefire

A general strike has disrupted industry, services and education in parts of Israel, as demands grow for the government to reach a ceasefire agreement and bring back hostages still held in Gaza.

Monday’s general strike, called by the country’s largest trade union, the Histadrut — the first since the Gaza war began in October — aimed to paralyze sectors of the economy, including banks and health services, as well as closing the country’s main airport and educational institutions.

The action was prompted by the discovery on Sunday of the bodies of six of the nearly 250 hostages captured by Hamas on October 7. About 100 were freed under a truce in November, while several have died since then.

Large demonstrations took place on Sunday, calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to secure a ceasefire deal that would bring the remaining hostages back. Both Israel and Hamas accuse each other of blocking a deal.

There are reports that US President Joe Biden is working on a proposed “final deal” in yet another effort to ratchet up the pressure.

‘Dever moral’

Arnon Bar-David, leader of the Histadrut, which represents hundreds of thousands of workers, called the strike, which received support from Israel’s leading manufacturers and high-tech entrepreneurs.

“We need to reach an agreement,” Bar-David said at a news conference on Sunday. “We are getting body bags instead of an agreement.”

Reports indicate that the strike was highly effective in some parts of Israel.

Ben Gurion Airport, Israel’s main air transport hub, was closed from 8am to 10am (0500 GMT) due to the strike. Israeli media have since reported that workers and civil aviation companies have decided to extend their strike.

The Israel Manufacturers Association supported the strike and accused the government of failing in its “moral duty” to bring the hostages back alive.

The Histadrut said banks, shopping malls, government offices and public transport services joined the strike. Municipalities in the central area, including Tel Aviv, also took part, leading to reduced school hours and the cancellation of public daycare centers and kindergartens.

However, many municipalities, including Jerusalem, did not participate.

Tamer Qarmout, associate professor of public policy at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, told Al Jazeera that the protests and strike could bring the country to a critical crossroads if they continue to grow and threaten Netanyahu’s coalition.

“There is anger, there is frustration and also the realization that after almost a year of war, the goals that Netanyahu has declared are virtually impossible to achieve,” he said.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents the families of some of those detained in Gaza, said the deaths of the six hostages were a direct result of Netanyahu’s failure to secure a deal to stop the conflict and bring their loved ones back.

Israel’s Haaretz newspaper reported on Monday that hundreds of protesters calling for a deal were marching towards the national defense headquarters in Tel Aviv. Protests were also reported in Beersheba in the south and Haifa in the north.

“Take it or leave it”

Reports indicate that following the deaths of the six hostages — which included an Israeli-American citizen — Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are expected to meet with the negotiating team that, along with Qatari and Egyptian officials, has been mediating negotiations on a ceasefire agreement.

Axios reported that White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told families of US citizens detained in Gaza that Biden is preparing a “final proposal” for a ceasefire deal, with Israel and Hamas ready to “accept or reject,” according to The Washington Post.

Qarmout said the US could use the protests and strikes in Israel to try to increase pressure on the Israeli government.

“We are approaching the US elections. If the Americans are serious about exerting influence on Netanyahu, it could shake him out of his intransigent position,” he said.

Via News Agencies.