Israel’s largest labor union has called for a massive one-day strike Monday to protest the government’s failure to secure a cease-fire deal as six hostages’ bodies were recovered from a Hamas tunnel.
Histadrut Labor Federation chief Arnon Bar-David, who represents thousands of workers, said Sunday it is unacceptable that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government failed to bring the hostages back alive.
The Israel Defense Force said the captives were “cruelly murdered” before they could be saved.
“We are getting body bags instead of a deal,” Bar-David told reporters as he called for all Israeli workers to join the strike.
“We must reach a deal. A deal is more important than anything else,” he said.
Bar-David accused Netanyahu of politicizing a hostage negotiation deal, which continues to be stalled over disagreements on the terms between Israel and the Palestinian terror group.
The strike was endorsed by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, the largest advocate group for the captives, with the kin calling it the correct and moral decision after the news of the dead hostages, who included Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23.
“Israel’s social, financial, and municipality leadership voices the people’s demand: Seal the deal now!” the group said in a statement.
The Israel Business Forum, which represents the bulk of the nation’s private-sector workers, said it, too, will join the strike, along with Israel’s Manufacturers’ Association.
“Without the return of the hostages, we will not be able to end the war, we will not be able to rehabilitate ourselves as a society, and we will not be able to begin to rehabilitate the Israeli economy,” association chief Ron Tomer said.
“The government must ensure that it does everything for the return of the hostages as soon as possible, even under the limitations of a limited cease-fire, and I call on all businesses in Israel to act to make it happen,” he added.
Several Israeli municipalities –– including Tel Aviv, Kfar Saba, and Givatayim –– announced that they will join the nationwide strike, as well.
The protest is set to begin at 6 a.m., with the strike causing the Ben Gurion Airport, the country’s main air hub, to shut down.
The demonstration comes after the six hostages’ bodies were pulled from Gaza on Saturday during an IDF operation.
Along with Golderg-Polin, the victims were identified as Ori Danino, 25; Eden Yerushalmi, 24; Almog Sarusi, 27; Alexander Lobanov, 33; and Carmel Gat, 40.
Netanyahu has received the bulk of the blame for the deaths after Defense Minister Yoav Gallant accused him of choosing to maintain the IDF’s control over the Philadelphi Corridor over the lives of the hostages. The corridor is a buffer strip along the Egypt-Gaza border.
Hamas had previously called on the IDF to leave the Philadelphi Corridor to progress the stalled cease-fire talks, with Israel refusing to do so.
Gallant had warned Netanyahu on Friday that the decision would cost the hostages their lives, with the six bodies found the next day.
With Post wires
