The problem isn't that Miri Regev is abroad again, but the blame for the strike at Ben Gurion Airport is entirely hers
An opinion column arguing that Transportation Minister Miri Regev bears primary responsibility for the strike at Ben Gurion Airport, against the backdrop of her trip abroad. The author criticizes her conduct over four years, including political appointments, delaying the establishment of a supplementary airport, and backing the workers' committee, claiming the strike is a direct result of her policies.
An opinion column in the Walla news site attacks Transportation Minister Miri Regev and places on her the primary responsibility for the strike that broke out at Ben Gurion Airport on Thursday, August 20, 2026, while she was in Morocco. The author argues that the strike is not a one-time event but a result of her policies over four years. He notes that Regev appointed Yiftah Ron-Tal, a Netanyahu associate, as chairman of the Israel Airports Authority, after firing the previous CEO Hagai Topolansky. It is further claimed that Regev delayed the establishment of the supplementary airport by demanding it be built in the south, contrary to the recommendations of experts and the Air Force, and that she backed the workers' committee in running the airport. The author notes that the committee chairman Pinchas Idan is a veteran Likud member, and that the day before the strike, Prime Minister Netanyahu conducted an election tour of the airport and praised the workers. The strike, originally planned for Wednesday to disrupt Regev's flight, caused heavy congestion and stranded tens of thousands of passengers, with the Treasury estimating the damage at 30 million shekels. The author concludes that Regev had four years to bring order to Ben Gurion Airport, and without a firm hand and competition, such events will continue.