Like in the USSR: Ben-Gurion union head expelled from party over airport chaos

Likud has announced its intention to expel Pinhas Idan, head of the Ben-Gurion Airport workers' union, from the party. The reason was the strike on August 20 that paralyzed airport operations and caused hours-long flight delays. The party stated that the expulsion order came from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Idan denies a strike, claiming it is a catastrophic shortage of manpower, which has been repeatedly reported to the Airports Authority and the Ministry of Transport without response. Idan is one of the most experienced union leaders in Israel, heading the workers' committee since 1986. He is a Likud veteran, a member of the party's Central Committee, and a former mayor of Lod. Idan's expulsion from Likud is likely driven by electoral considerations: the party is trying to distance itself from the chaos that has angered many Israelis.