Pinchas Idan, chairman of Israel's Airport Authority workers' committee, issued a defiant response over the weekend to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to expel him from the Likud party. The move came after severe disruptions at Ben Gurion Airport that left thousands of travelers stranded. "I was in Likud before Bibi and I'll remain after Bibi," Idan told Kan News in an interview set to air in full Sunday evening. He dismissed the significance of his party membership, saying, "What does being a Likud Central Committee member mean? Nothing. He can't kick me out of Likud, with all due respect to him."
Ben Gurion Airport Crisis
Union Chief Defies PM After Likud Ouster
Pinchas Idan, head of Ben Gurion Airport workers' committee, responds sharply to Prime Minister's decision to expel him from ruling party following recent travel chaos
Idan also addressed his relationship with the Prime Minister and the upcoming elections. "This time I'm debating with myself whether it's not time to switch to something better," he said, sending a clear message to Netanyahu. The Likud party's internal court had ruled on Idan's case about a year ago, following a work stoppage at Ben Gurion during protests over the government's judicial reform plans. At that time, the court decided against expelling him after he expressed remorse for his actions. However, the recent operational failures at the airport prompted Netanyahu to order his removal from the party.
Alongside his political response, Idan issued a stark warning about a potential crisis at Ben Gurion during the upcoming holiday season. "If there's no staff recruitment, we won't get through the holidays. Don't waste your time, let them not say I didn't warn them," he stated. He says that Airport Authority management has been sounding the alarm for a considerable time. "We warned, we talked, we pleaded, we asked. Come tell the public the truth, that because of the security situation, we were afraid to hire workers," he said.
Idan warned that the crisis could worsen significantly. "In the end, everything will collapse, and if anyone is fooling themselves that there won't continue to be delays—they're only fooling themselves," he said. Responding to accusations of a strike, Idan firmly rejected them. "There was no strike. The ones who created the strike were my management," he claimed.
Ben Gurion Airport recently faced a severe operational crisis, with operations management declaring a "crisis event" following serious operational failures. Check-in procedures were frozen after the sorting conveyor belt reached full capacity, leaving masses of travelers stuck at the airport. The facility continues to experience disruptions, with industry sources warning of another potential strike during the upcoming school vacation period. Many passengers were forced to fly without their luggage, while returning Israelis waited over ninety minutes in the arrivals hall to collect their baggage.
