Government approved 'Open skies' • airline workers demonstrated in Jerusalem

The general strike of employees of Israeli airlines, began following the government's decision today (Sunday) to discuss the implementation of 'open skies' in its present form during a cabinet meeting, without any adjustments to Israeli airlines. The Histadrut stressed that the strike is indefinitely.

The government approved the agreement at its meeting by an overwhelming majority of 16 ministers, three ministers were absent from the meeting.

Workers are also protesting the hiding of the secret report of the Ministry of Transport from the public and government ministers. According to them, the report states that there is a real danger of the collapse of the airlines. This is an internal report which was published in the past.

Histadrut Chairman Ofer Eini addressed an urgent appeal last night to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: "I am asking you at this critical hour with an emergency call to the Israeli government and all its ministers, to avoid difficult historical and destructive decisions, without a substantive discussion on the basis of incomplete and misleading information regarding the approval of the agreement 'Open Skies'."

Eini also referred to the report: "Not revealing the 'secret report' to the members of the government is misleading and a possible obstruction of government and ministers on a matter of national importance." Histadrut chairman called on the Prime Minister to enter into an organized serious discussion on an essential national issue, while listening and sharing all relevant parties, and while maintaining negotiations for the rights of civil aviation workers in Israel and ensuring the continued existence of Israeli airlines.

Chairman of the National Pilots Association, Captain Ronnie Zohar, expressed full support of the Histadrut and union committees of Israeli airline workers in their struggle against the Open Skies agreement, "The Pilots Association, which accompanied the negotiations as an observer, is well aware of the shortcomings of the agreement in its current form. We support the fundamental principle of Open Skies and free competition, but as in any agreement - the secret is in the small details. During the discussions, the Union watched how the State of Israel is giving up time and again on the same principles that it itself has set as a condition for an agreement that would maintain the existence of a strong Israeli airline against ruthless airline giants from Europe. At the end of the process, we are left with an agreement of the same title 'Open Skies' but missing clauses with principles necessary to save the resilience of the Israeli airline."

At 10:00 am hundreds of El Al, Arkia and Israir employees went up to Jerusalem and demonstrated in front of the cabinet meeting.

Just before the beginning of the strike at 5:00 of all flights departing from Ben Gurion Airport (abroad and to Eilat) of El Al, Arkia and Israir in protest against the government's intention to approve the open skies agreement with the EU, the Airports Authority reported the decision of the Israeli companies to bring forward approximately 11-13 flights which were supposed to depart today after 5:00 am to 4:00 am.

Following this decision - which means reducing the financial and image damage to companies - Ben Gurion Airport prepared last night (Motzaei Shabbos) to absorb the thousands of passengers expected to fly to various destinations worldwide. Israel Airports Authority (IAA) said that in view of this decision of the three Israeli airlines to bring forward a few flights by an hour, the Airports Authority requested and received from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) approval to allow departures from the airport at 4:00 am, an hour at which usually, except for peak seasons, the airport is relatively closed.

Meanwhile, the Federation of Economic Organizations released yesterday that it gives a boost to the government and believes that it must approve the agreement. "The agreement is good for the economy and will contribute to the tourism industry, commerce and services and will add jobs in the periphery while lowering the prices of flight tickets for citizens," said Zvika Oren this evening, chairman of the Federation. He also said that it is impossible to resist progress and competition, and that the government should strive to minimize harm to Israeli airlines, but the experience gained in other industries demonstrates that competition contributes to economic activity and is beneficial to the citizens.

It should be noted that last Friday, the Ministers of Finance and Transport, Yair Lapid and Israel Katz, convened on the budget of the Ministry of Transport, but also discussed the issue of Open Skies. Transport Ministry officials reported to the leading economic site Globes, that Lapid assured Katz his support of the agreement at the cabinet meeting on Sunday.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!