Story perspectives

Netanyahu Files Petition to Expel Pinchas Idan From Likud

8/23/2026

Summary

Story summary

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu filed a petition to expel union chairman Pinchas Idan from Likud.
The strike halted check-in counters at Ben-Gurion Airport, grounding flights from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Thursday.
Finance Ministry estimated damage at NIS 25-30 million, citing lost time and cargo disruptions.
Idan said the airport manager ordered the shutdown.
Netanyahu called the strike wild and illegal, saying it harmed citizens and the economy.

History

Historical Context

During Edward Heath’s 1973-74 government, a miners’ strike forced the three-day work week, limiting commercial electricity to three consecutive days. The 2024 Ben-Gurion Airport strike, which Israel’s finance ministry says lost about NIS 30 million, mirrors that pattern: organized labor quickly halts critical infrastructure, pushing travelers onto buses and forcing commuters to seek alternatives, delaying cargo.

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Story summary

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu filed a petition to expel union chairman Pinchas Idan from Likud.
The strike halted check-in counters at Ben-Gurion Airport, grounding flights from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Thursday.
Finance Ministry estimated damage at NIS 25-30 million, citing lost time and cargo disruptions.
Idan said the airport manager ordered the shutdown.
Netanyahu called the strike wild and illegal, saying it harmed citizens and the economy.

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