Understanding the Politics of Israel’s General Strike
Last week, Israel’s largest union called a general strike in support of a hostage deal and cease-fire. Opposition from conservative members, the judiciary, and Benjamin Netanyahu put an end to the strike, which exposed deep fissures within Israeli society.
Israeli protesters block roads during the general strike on September 2, 2024, in Tel Aviv, Israel. (Mostafa Alkharouf / Anadolu via Getty Images)
Last week, as the devastating war in Gaza neared its one-year mark, Israel’s largest labor federation declared a general strike.
This almost unprecedented declaration was a response to growing pressure on the powerful federation to support those protesting against Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and demanding an agreement that would bring home the Israeli hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Given that the Histadrut’s key power base is the worker committees — workplace-based, union-affiliated representatives elected by the workers — many of whom support Netanyahu’s Likud party, its decision to join the grassroots protest movement is surprising.
Unlike the antiwar sentiment abroad, the majority of Israeli opponents of the ongoing war are not primarily exercised by the rising death toll in Gaza. Rather, their concern is for the 101 hostages, which they believe Netanyahu’s government has no serious plan for rescuing.
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