Israel's Largest Union Calls Monday Strike to Pressure Netanyahu on Hostage Deal

Sep 1, 2024, 04:02 PM

Israel's largest labor union, the Histadrut, has announced a nationwide general strike set to begin on Monday at 6 a.m. (0300 GMT) in an effort to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to reach a deal with Hamas for the release of hostages held in Gaza. This decision follows the recovery of the bodies of six hostages, which has intensified public outcry and led to massive protests across the country. The strike, supported by opposition leader Yair Lapid, aims to shut down the economy and is expected to involve over 800,000 workers. The union's head, Arnon Bar-David, emphasized the urgency of reaching a deal, stating that the most important thing right now is to secure the hostages' release.