Netanyahu against Pinchas Idan: "Ordered his expulsion from Likud due to the wild strike at Ben Gurion Airport"
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the expulsion of Pinchas Idan, chairman of the Israel Airports Authority workers' committee, from his membership in Likud, following the strike at Ben Gurion Airport that led to chaos and flight delays. Likud stated that the strike was "wild and illegal" and harmed citizens and the economy. Idan, for his part, claims there was no planned strike, but rather a severe shortage of manpower.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the expulsion of Pinchas Idan, chairman of the Israel Airports Authority workers' committee, from his membership in Likud. Likud announced that the decision was made "following the wild and illegal strike at the airport that harmed the country's citizens and damaged the economy." During the day, thousands of passengers were stranded in the terminals of Ben Gurion Airport, flight schedules were disrupted, and suitcases piled up on the floor. The Israel Airports Authority management blamed the committee for "work disruptions." Idan, a long-time Likud member and former party center member, denied a planned strike and claimed it was a severe manpower shortage, about which his warnings were ignored. Idan has served as chairman of the committee for about forty years, managing a strong body representing about six percent of the authority's workers. His relationship with the political system has seen ups and downs, including an incident in March 2023 when he ordered a halt to takeoffs at Ben Gurion Airport following a general strike by the Histadrut.