Netanyahu Removes Head of Ben Gurion Airport Workers Union Over Illegal Strike

The Likud party announced that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the dismissal of the chairman of the Airport Authority workers union following what they described as a "wild and illegal strike" at Ben Gurion Airport. The strike reportedly harmed Israeli citizens and caused economic damage.

Idan, aged 70, has led the Airport Authority workers union since 1986 almost continuously. The union represents approximately 6,000 employees and is considered one of the most powerful in Israel, partly because it indirectly controls the main air entry and exit point of the country. Idan is also a member of the Likud Central Committee.

In 1998, he was elected mayor of Lod, serving for about two years before returning to lead the union. He also ran for a Knesset seat in the 2019 Likud primaries in the Shfela district, placing 19th, but later withdrew his candidacy. The strike and subsequent dismissal highlight tensions between the government and key labor unions affecting critical national infrastructure.