Israel’s labor court rules general strike must end

JERUSALEM: Israel’s Labour Court in Tel Aviv ruled that a general strike that shut much of the country’s economy must end at 2:30 p.m. local time (1130 GMT), according to court documents seen by Reuters.
Israel’s main trade union had launched a general strike on Monday to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into agreeing to a ceasefire deal in Gaza after the deaths of six hostages held by Hamas triggered mass protests across the country.

Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich had asked the country’s attorney general to submit an urgent request to courts to block the nationwide strike.
In his letter to Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, Smotrich argued that a strike had no legal basis since it aimed to improperly influence significant policy decisions of politicians on issues related to state security.
He also said that a broad strike — which would shut the country including outgoing flights — has significant economic consequences which would cause unnecessary economic damage in wartime.
The call for a one-day general strike by Arnon Bar-David, whose Histadrut union represents hundreds of thousands of workers, was backed by Israel’s main manufacturers and entrepreneurs in the high-tech sector. The stoppage would begin at 6 a.m. (0300 GMT).
There was no immediate response from Baharav-Miara.