The Histadrut labor federation on Monday threatened to shut down Ben-Gurion International Airport as a show of solidarity with Israeli airline employees, who are striking against Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz's Open Skies agreement with the European Union that was approved by the cabinet on Sunday. The Histadrut said Israel Airports Authority employees would join the strike starting Tuesday at 5 a.m. in response to the government's approval of the agreement, which would, over five years, lift restrictions on European airlines serving Israel, thus lowering prices and increasing tourism. Opponents charge that Open Skies will result in widespread layoffs because Israeli airlines will struggle to compete with European companies. Sixteen ministers voted in favor of the agreement and three voted against: Immigrant Absorption Minister Sofa Landver, Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch, and Environmental Protection Minister Amir Peretz, himself a former Histadrut boss. Finance Minister Yair Lapid meanwhile on Monday came out against the Histadrut decision's to strike, calling the measure unnecessary. "The strike is unnecessary. Open Skies is a fait accompli. This is a good and appropriate deal for Israel, for the Israeli economy, and Israeli tourism," Lapid said according to Army Radio. "We need to address Israeli companies' particular problems, which stem principally from their unique security needs. I have ordered the professional staff in my office to formulate a solution that will help Israeli airlines in these brand new open skies." Lapid said the Open Skies agreement would lead to positive consequences for Israeli travelers and the economy. The finance minister said that Israeli airlines biggest problem of high security costs could be resolved, and said that his office would help Israeli airlines adjust to the liberalized market under the new agreement. Shares for El Al Israel Airlines Ltd. dropped 10 percent on news of the approval, and some are speculating that First Israel Mezzanine Investors (FIMI) fund will abandon its agreement to invest $75 million in the airline. El Al canceled all flights scheduled on Sunday until 9 p.m. in conjunction with Eini's announcement to strike. Airport authorities called on passengers with flights after 9 p.m. Sunday and into Monday to check with the relevant websites for updated information. Employees at Ben-Gurion will begin striking at 5 a.m. Tuesday in solidarity with El Al, Arkia and Israir employees. The Israel Airports Authority strike will last a number of hours, causing a standstill in airline traffic, but the Histadrut has not announced an end to its protest. The Manufacturers Association of Israel on Sunday filed a petition with the National Labor Court in Jerusalem asking the court to order strikers back to work and calling on the Histadrut to renege on the strike. The association also called on the court to summon the manufacturers group, the transportation minister, the finance minister and Histadrut Chairman Ofer Eini to resolve the crisis and end the protest. Eini has also called on the transportation and finance ministers to enter negotiations immediately to formulate a solution that would prevent Israeli airline companies from crashing. Eini also sought to avoid a scenario where thousands of employees lose their livelihoods. If no solution is found, the strike will continue, Eini warned. The National Labor Court was due to review the petition Monday night. Canceled flights The authorities at Ben-Gurion airport were scrambling to minimize the impact of the strike on passengers after Eini's announcement threatened to ground all flights in and out of Tel Aviv on Tuesday. The Israel Airports Authority spokesperson's office advised passengers to stay away from Ben-Gurion and to check with airlines and travel agencies for sudden changes in their flights. The airport was struggling to bolster information services for passengers that had arrived at Ben-Gurion expecting to fly. Airport manager, Shmuel Zakai, advised foreign airlines to anticipate delays. In addition to the airports authority strike, the Histadrut was also planning to call a sea ports and railway strike, but decided last-minute to hold off on those plans. Meanwhile, police arrested eight demonstrators while some 600 employees from Israel's three airlines rallied on Sunday outside the Prime Minister's Office. The demonstration took place while the cabinet was voting to approve the Open Skies program. Disgruntled airline employees burned tires and shouted slogans including, "the people demand justice in the skies." The protest turned violent as demonstrators clashed with border police outside the Prime Minister's Office. Police, border police and security personnel huddled together to keep protesters from reaching the Prime Minister's Office and the Bank of Israel headquarters. The cold, rainy weather in Jerusalem on Sunday did not deter demonstrators. Employees fear Israeli airlines will suffer losses as a result of the agreement, and that this will lead to layoffs across the board. Protesters gathered under umbrellas and held placards that read, "The airports aren't the cell network," referencing telecommunications reforms last year that opened the market to greater competition and ultimately lowered prices. Other demonstrators attempting to single out the finance minister, who set middle-class issues as one of his top priorities, with signs that read "Lapid, we're also the middle class." Protesters blocked the road to the Prime Minister's Office, forcing Lapid to exit his car and walk through the rain. The finance minister maneuvered through the dense crowd of demonstrators with the help of police and his guards to reach the office. He expressed solidarity with the protesters, saying, "These people are concerned about their workplaces."
