IDF Airport Workers' Union Chief Warns of Further Strikes Amid Ben Gurion Airport Chaos

Despite denials from Pinchas Idan, chairman of the Airport Authority Workers' Union, preparations are underway for additional strikes and severe disruptions at Ben Gurion Airport this week. Approximately 100,000 passengers are expected daily in the coming weeks, intensifying concerns about operational chaos during the busy holiday season of Tishrei. A source familiar with the situation described Idan as unpredictable, making it difficult to anticipate his next moves.

Idan firmly denied that workers had initiated strikes or work slowdowns, blaming the Airport Authority management for the crisis and warning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Transportation Minister Merav Michaeli that without immediate staff reinforcements, the airport cannot handle the upcoming holiday rush. He highlighted the extreme working conditions, including 13-hour shifts under intense pressure, leading to physical injuries among employees.

Conversely, a senior official from the Transportation Ministry accused Idan of orchestrating the shutdown of screening systems that caused the airport's collapse, labeling it an irresponsible unilateral action that held hundreds of thousands of travelers hostage. The official condemned the closure of Israel's main gateway as an unjustifiable attack on public freedom and the economy, warning that Idan would bear full legal responsibility for damages.

Following the disruptions, Netanyahu ordered Idan's expulsion from the Likud party, accusing him of illegally timing the strike to harm the government and aid political rivals. The Prime Minister also vowed to keep Ben Gurion Airport operational and warned that anyone obstructing its function would face dismissal. The ongoing conflict underscores a deepening crisis over staffing shortages and management disputes at Israel's busiest airport.