A general strike in Israel to protest the failure to return hostages held in Gaza led to closures and other disruptions around the country on Monday, but it was ignored in some areas, reflecting deep political divisions.
Israel’s largest trade union, the Histadrut, called for the general strike, the first since the start of the war. It aimed to shut down or disrupt major sectors of the economy, including banking, health care and the country’s main airport. But it ended early after a labor court ruled it must stop in mid-afternoon in response to a government petition calling the strike politically motivated.
Hundreds of thousands of Israelis poured into the streets Sunday in grief and anger after six hostages were found dead in Gaza. The families and much of the public blamed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying they could have been returned alive in a deal with Hamas to end the nearly 11-month-old war.
This isn’t a danger for him. His people support him from what I’ve seen. They complain about policies that impact their own, but allow genocide to carry out without any notable opposition.