Understand the size of the general strike in Israel

Protests and a general strike erupted in Israel on Monday after the recovery of the bodies of six hostages held by Hamas and other Palestinian groups in the Gaza Strip since the war began on October 7.

Although the Israeli military claims the hostages were killed by Hamas shortly before Israeli troops arrived, public outrage has focused on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his cabinet over their repeated failure to finalize a ceasefire agreement that could bring the hostages home.

How big is the strike?

The strike is significant. Called by Histadrut, Israel’s largest trade union, which represents approximately 800,000 workers, the one-day general strike has received support from the country’s leading manufacturers and high-tech entrepreneurs, resulting in the shutdown of large parts of the Israeli economy.

Thousands of people also took to the streets, blocking roads and demanding that the government change its stance to save the remaining hostages, estimated at around 100, still held in Gaza.

Who joined the strike?

Ben Gurion Airport, Israel’s main international gateway, was closed from 8 a.m. (0500 GMT) as unions considered extending a general strike into Tuesday. A total of 21 million people will pass through the airport in 2023.

The Israel Business Forum, which represents the majority of private sector workers at the country’s 200 largest companies, joined the strike, as did major Israeli tech companies including Wix, Fiverr, HoneyBook, Playtika, Riskified, AppsFlyer, Monday.com, AI21 Labs and Lemonade.

The Israel Manufacturers Association also joined in, accusing the government of failing in its “moral duty” to bring the hostages back alive. The head of the Israel Bar Association, Amit Becher, called on “all lawyers to join the strike.”

Hospitals and health clinics are operating at reduced capacity, but Magen David Adom — the national emergency medical, disaster, ambulance and blood service — is functioning normally. The Israel Electric Corporation and the Mekorot water company are also operating at reduced capacity, but fire and rescue services continue to operate normally.

Many government and municipal offices will also be closed on Monday, including Tel Aviv City Hall, which serves the country’s largest economic hub.

The Teachers’ Union, an arm of the Histadrut, said all elementary and secondary schools would be open only until 11:45 a.m., except for schools for students with special needs. The Association of Rectors of Israel’s Universities announced that the country’s research universities would also participate in the economic shutdown, although some scheduled exams would still be held.

Public transport companies, including major bus companies Egged, Dan and Metropolin, also joined the strike, as did Tel Aviv’s light rail system and Haifa’s Carmelit underground metro. The strike also caused train delays.

What’s going on with the protests?

In addition to the general strike, Israeli activists, working with the families of hostages in Gaza, announced a series of protests across the country on Monday.

According to the Forum of Families of Hostages and Missing Persons, protesters plan to block major highways and intersections, as well as the entrances to many government and regional offices. This follows the largest protests since the Gaza war began in October, which brought about half a million people onto the streets on Sunday night. More than 300,000 people gathered in Tel Aviv, which has seen weekly demonstrations for almost a year.

What was the political response?

The political response has been divided. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has lodged an urgent request with the country’s attorney general to call off the strike.

Smotrich, who along with far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has been a staunch opponent of a ceasefire deal in Gaza, also ordered the treasury not to pay salaries to those who join the Histadrut strike.

The minister, who is under scrutiny by the European Union over possible sanctions, and Netanyahu are seeking an injunction to halt the strike through legal action. Smotrich accused Histadrut chief Arnon Bar-David of “choosing to represent the interests of Hamas” by weakening the Israeli economy.

The Netanyahu government has promised a “strong” response to Hamas, insisting, as on many previous occasions, that the six hostages were killed as a result of Israeli airstrikes.

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid, who has previously called on the government to reach a deal, supported the strike. He accused Netanyahu’s administration of pushing the country into “the greatest anarchy” and argued that the public was showing “incredible restraint” in the face of government mismanagement.

Is there any chance of a ceasefire agreement?

The latest round of talks brokered by Qatar and Egypt in recent weeks has stalled again amid the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, as voices inside and outside Israel accuse Netanyahu of blocking a deal by presenting exorbitant demands to suit his political interests.

The main points of contention remain Netanyahu’s insistence on not withdrawing from the Philadelphia Corridor, which forms Gaza’s southern border with Egypt, and the so-called Netzarim Corridor, the Israeli military route that divides Gaza in half.

Senior Hamas political official Khalil al-Hayya told Al Jazeera on Monday that Netanyahu also refuses to release some of the longest-serving Palestinian prisoners held by Israel as part of a swap deal. Israel has yet to confirm or deny this claim.

Via News Agencies