Severe disruptions at Ben Gurion Airport inflicted economic damage estimated between 25 and 30 million shekels (approximately $7-8 million) on Israel's economy, according to Finance Ministry assessments reported by Channel 12 News.
Aviation industry sources predict flight schedules will not return to normal until midnight tonight. To manage the backlog created by the work stoppage, most departing flights throughout the day left without passengers' checked luggage. The disruption ended following a meeting between the director-general of the Israel Airports Authority and the workers' committee chairman, where an agreement was reached to halt the labor action and resume full operations.
The crisis sparked sharp political exchanges. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that "Ben Gurion will continue to be open and operate as usual. Whoever stands in the way will be sent home." Meanwhile, Transportation Minister Miri Regev, currently vacationing in Morocco, instructed officials to petition the labor court "to force them to stop this thuggish and illegal strike," adding that "whoever made the decision to take tens of thousands of Israeli citizens hostage will pay a heavy price."
In response, Keren Turner, a Knesset candidate for the "Together - Led by Bennett" party, criticized the ministry's handling of the situation, arguing that the public is "paying the price for a ministry in the process of collapse from too many political appointments and failed management." Turner added that "the situation doesn't have to be this way" and noted that "soon the 'diamonds' system will be a thing of the past, and the Transportation Ministry management won't go together on a 'private vacation' to Morocco for a week at the end of August."
For their part, the Transportation Workers Union rejected claims of a surprise strike, arguing that the congestion stems from chronic staff shortages. Workers' committee chairman Pinchas Idan had warned in advance, saying "we're short about 400 workers and we're not managing to recruit. There will probably be queues in the coming period—I don't know how we'll get through August." In closed-door conversations, Idan added that "these are people who work like porters," while the Airports Authority rejected the claims, noting that dozens of workers have already been absorbed into the organization.
