Pini Idan Rejects Netanyahu's Attempt to Expel Him from Likud Amid Airport Workers' Crisis

Pini Idan, chairman of the Airport Authority workers' committee, strongly criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following Netanyahu's petition to expel him from the Likud party. In an interview with Kan News on August 21, 2026, Idan asserted that Netanyahu cannot remove him from the party and blamed the Airport Authority management for orchestrating the recent strike.

Idan warned that the staffing crisis at Ben Gurion Airport is expected to worsen, stating that without new hires, the upcoming holidays will be severely disrupted. He emphasized that the management had repeatedly warned about the crisis but cited security concerns as a reason for the recruitment freeze. Idan cautioned that if the situation continues, operational delays and collapses are inevitable.

Regarding the strike, Idan denied that workers initiated it, instead accusing his own management of causing it. On the political front, he expressed uncertainty about supporting Netanyahu in the upcoming elections, suggesting it might be time for a change. Earlier on the same day, Netanyahu filed a petition with the Likud party court seeking Idan's expulsion, citing similar actions Idan took during the 2023 protests against judicial reforms, for which he had previously received a warning.