Netanyahu Petitions to Expel Union Leader Over Airport Strike

Flight delays at Ben-Gurion Airport entered their third day on Sunday following a strike initiated Friday by the Israel Airports Authority workers' union. Arrival delays are expected to reach 10 hours, while departures are delayed by more than four hours.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, filed an urgent petition with the Likud Party's Supreme Court to remove union chairman Pinchas Idan from the party. Netanyahu characterized the strike as a "political and illegal shutdown" intended to target himself, the Likud Party, and Transportation Minister Miri Regev.

Pinchas Idan attributed the operational chaos to a shortage of at least 500 workers, noting that a regional heatwave and IDF reserve service requirements have exacerbated the staffing gap. Conversely, other sources claim that the number of luggage handlers has increased over the last six years while passenger numbers declined.