On Sunday, we woke up to the news that six Israeli hostages were executed by Hamas, just before soldiers reached them in a tunnel in Gaza. Another six, added to tens of thousands of people in this land who should not have died over the past year. During this week, hundreds of thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets. They feel angry, desperate and betrayed by their government. They have understood, perhaps for the first time, that the Israeli government does not want to return the hostages in a deal, but to continue the war indefinitely. They see that the occupation and the settlements matter more than human life – and not only of Palestinians, said B‘Tselem Executive Director Yuli Novak, who addressed the UN Security Council last night (Wednesday) . B’Tselem – the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories was invited by the Slovenian President of the Security Council to provide an expert review of the state of human rights in Israel/Palestine following the war.
Archiv: Arnon Bar-David
Hamas Says Hostage Guards Have Been Operating Under New Orders
“Netanyahu‘s insistence to free prisoners through military pressure, instead of sealing a deal, means they will be returned to their families in shrouds. Their families must choose whether they want them dead or alive,” he said
Hamas armed wing says new instructions given to guards of Israel hostages in Gaza
On Sunday, the Israeli military reported the recovery of the bodies of six hostages from a tunnel in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, claiming that Hamas was responsible for their deaths. Obaida said his group holds Israel responsible for the deaths.
He said the new instructions, which he did not detail, were given to guards of hostages after a rescue operation by Israel in June.
Tumultuous weekend for Israelis leaves Netanyahu with fewer options than ever
Unlike Palestinians in Gaza, Israelis can rise up to challenge their leadership. Late-night skirmishes between protesters and the authorities Sunday on Tel Aviv’s usually hyper-busy eight-lane Ayalon Highway were a manifestation of that.
As flames and dense smoke engulfed wooden pallets and tires on the roads, I watched a young man, blue paint spray in hand, scrawl his message to the prime minister in foot-high letters on the roadside wall: “Hostages or revolt.”
Hostages families forum blames Netanyahu for death of captives
„A deal for the return of the abductees has been on the table for over two months,“ the forum said. „If it weren‘t for the thwarting [of the deal], the excuses and the spins, the abductees whose deaths we learned of this morning would probably be alive.
„Enough with the excuses. Enough with the spins. Enough of the procrastination!
The time has come to return our abductees home – the living for rehabilitation and the victims and the murdered for burial in their own country.“
‘Mr. Death’: Hostage families say Netanyahu has condemned their loved ones to die
(August 31, 2024)
In a statement read out in front of the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv, family members of the hostages accuse Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government of knowingly condemning the hostages to death.
“Netanyahu and his partners in the cabinet decided to torpedo the [hostage-ceasefire] deal due to the Philadelphia spin, and as such knowingly condemn the hostages to death,” the statement says.
Einav Zangauker, mother of Hamas hostage Matan Zangauker, calls Netanyahu “Mr. Death.”
Amid protests after murder of hostages, Netanyahu to hold press conference
The press conference will take place amid public demonstrations against his government for not doing enough to secure a hostage deal in the wake of the murder of six hostages,..
Israel’s anti-Netanyahu strike ends early and fails to bring the country to a standstill
The strike began at 05:00 local time and was expected to last 24 hours but at midday a court ordered it to end, considering it “political” and “unrelated” to the issue for which it had been called. Histadrut chairman Arnon Bar-David announced to the labor court that he was considering a petition to suspend it that would end the action at 18.00. However, the court ordered the strike to end at 2:30 p.m. and Bar-David responded by urging workers to return to their posts.
During its short duration, the strike failed to paralyze Israel.
Masses around Israel demand Gaza deal as nation recoils from murder of 6 hostages
Labor federation chief Arnon Bar-David says hostage release stuck due to ‘political considerations,’ most of labor market will strike as of 6 a.m. Monday
Protest In Tel Aviv Live | Israelis Protest In Tel Aviv City After Hostages Dead | Israel Hamas War
Protesters gather in Tel Aviv after Israel‘s army announced it recovered the bodies of 6 hostages in Gaza.
Israelis protest against Netanyahu after 6 hostages found dead in Gaza
Israel on Sunday said it had recovered the bodies of six hostages in Gaza. Relatives and supporters of Israeli hostages protested Sunday outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s office in Jerusalem. Eylon Keshet, a family member of a Hamas-held hostage, says ‘it’s been a nightmare every day,’ adding that Netanyahu ‘should be held responsible’ and Hamas should be pressured into a ceasefire.
Israelis erupt in protest to demand a cease-fire after 6 more hostages die in Gaza
Grieving and angry Israelis surged into the streets Sunday night after six more hostages were found dead in Gaza, chanting “Now! Now!” as they demanded that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reach a cease-fire with Hamas to bring the remaining captives home.
Israel’s largest trade union, the Histadrut, pressured the government by calling a general strike for Monday, the first since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack that started the war.
National labor union announces one-day strike: ‘A deal is more important than anything else’
Histadrut Labor Federation chief Arnon Bar-David announces a general strike set for tomorrow over the failure to release hostages held in Gaza, stating that “a deal is more important than anything else.”
Histadrut coordinated nationwide strike with PM‘s office – coalition member
(March 30, 2023)
The strike on Monday of Israel‘s largest worker‘s union, the Histadrut Labor Federation, was coordinated with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s inner circle, a senior member of the coalition confirmed on Thursday.
Histadrut Head Urges Early Elections, Hostages Families Demand ‘General Strike Now’
The head of the Histadrut labor federation urges again far-right Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to set a date for early elections, indicating that if the premier refuses, the organization could take steps aimed at forcing his hand.
Speaking at a conference hosted by Yedioth Ahronoth on Wednesday, May 8, Arnon Bar-David declares that Netanyahu and his government “cannot avoid responsibility for the failures of October 7.”
Last year, when protests against the same government’s divisive judicial overhaul plan reached a tipping point following Netanyahu’s firing of Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, the Histadrut declared a general strike, helping force the prime minister to walk back that decision and to pause the overhaul.
Histadrut Chairman Arnon Bar-David as photographed last week during a visit to two weapons factories: #Elbit Systems and IAI. On a shell intended for use in bombings in the Gaza Strip he wrote: „The people of Israel live. Greetings from the Histadrut and the workers in Israel
Israel‘s main union to discuss declaring general strike
The head of Israel‘s main public sector union said on Monday he would meet with other union officials to discuss the possibility…
Intense talks as reform bill heads for final vote; mega firms announce strike
The Histadrut labor federation proposed a scaled-down version of the bill but has chosen not to call a general strike in the public sector, saying it will the talks play themselves out until noon, at which point a decision would be made.
Yesh Atid MK defends Lapid over last-ditch talks: Israel in ‘a catastrophic situation’
Yesh Atid MK Karine Elharrar defends the decision by opposition leader Yair Lapid’s party to take part in talks to restrict the scope of the “reasonableness” bill and pause the rest of the judicial overhaul as further negotiations are held.
“There are moments in life when you can’t only make political calculations. Someone needs to be the adult in the room,” she tells the Ynet news site.
Likud, protest leaders reject labor union’s compromise overhaul bill
Likud minister David Amsalem launched a public attack on Bar-David, anticipating that the latter could end up launching a nationwide strike.
“I remind you that you represent workers who are mostly Likud people who are struggling to make a living,” Amsalem tweeted. “The issue of the judicial reform should be decided in the Knesset, not in the corridors of the Mapai-like Histadrut,” he argued, citing the workers’ party that was a precursor to left-wing Labor and was the ruling party for Israel’s first three decades.
Lapid meets with Histadrut leader amid talks of widespread strike
Lapid and Histadrut Chairman Arnon Bar-David reportedly discussed the outline for dialogue that the chairman and his colleagues had recently presented to the prime minister.
Bar-David said after meeting with Lapid: „I will continue to turn over every stone and work with all my might to try and find the right compromise.
Lapid meets chief of Israel‘s labor federation amid calls to shut down the economy
Following the meeting, Lapid said he commends „the efforts of the chairman and the framework set by the Histadrut as a basis for shared dialogue.“ Bar-David said „I call on the other parties to show responsible leadership.„
Lapid meets with union chief in Tel Aviv, amid protesters’ pressure for strike
Opposition leader Yair Lapid is meeting with Histadrut labor federation chair Arnon Bar-David in the latter’s office in Tel Aviv.
Bar-David has come under pressure from anti-overhaul protesters to call a strike over the coalition’s bill to curb the authority of the courts.
Protesters rally outside Histadrut HQ in Tel Aviv
Anti-overhaul protesters are rallying outside the Histadrut’s headquarters in Tel Aviv, as chief Arnon Bar-David holds “emergency” deliberations amid calls for the labor federation to declare a strike.
Israel’s top labor union holds emergency meeting on judicial overhaul
Histadrut chief Arnon Bar-David is facing intense pressure from opponents of the judicial shakeup to declare a general strike to stop the bill to limit court oversight of government decisions.
The meeting was to include other senior Histadrut officials and Dov Amitai, head of the Israeli Presidency of Business Organizations. According to reports Friday, Bar-David and Amitai met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently to try to find a compromise deal.
Israeli Pro-democracy Protesters Pressuring Trade Union to Call for General Strike
As the Netanyahu-led gov‘t prepares to further advance a key component of the legislation, the leaders of the protest movement are pressuring the Histadrut to call for a general strike across Israel
Israel Protest to Ramp Up as Knesset Plans to Continue With Judicial Overhaul
These include ones putting pressure on the head of the country’s largest federation of trade unions, with the aim of shutting down the national economy.
The Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee will convene at 9:30 A.M. Sunday to continue deliberations on repealing the reasonableness standard used by courts in their review of government decisions.
Netanyahu, union chief deny reports they coordinated on Monday strike
(30 March 2023)
Kan news, citing unnamed sources, reported that Yonatan Urich, an adviser to Netanyahu, coordinated with Histadrut officials throughout the day on the timing and content of press conferences held by Netanyahu and the labor union’s Bar-David. It also said the premier’s wife Sara spoke with officials close to Bar-David, telling them to pressure the government to work towards broad agreements on judicial reform.
Roads blocked in Tel Aviv as demonstrators march toward Histadrut labor federation headquarters
Many protesters have been angered that the labor federation has not called a general strike after a bill to radically curb judicial oversight over government decisions was passed overnight in its first reading.
In late March the union joined a daylong general strike triggered by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s since-reversed decision to fire Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for calling to pause the judicial legislation amid growing unrest over the overhaul. The strike was called off the same day after Netanyahu agreed to pause the legislation to allow for negotiations with the opposition.
Ben Gurion departures halted as Histadrut declares ‘historic’ strike over overhaul
“We are all worried about Israel’s fate,” Histadrut chief Arnon Bar-David said during a press conference alongside business leaders and public officials. “Together we say, enough!”
“We have lost our way — this is not about left or right,” he continued. “We can no longer polarize the nation.”
The announcement came ahead of an expected statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he is freezing the legislation.