Hundreds of thousands of workers in Israel went on strike Wednesday to protest planned cuts in government spending.
The 10-hour strike, called by the Histadrut labor federation, disrupted the operation of hospitals, postal services, banks, state media and the stock market.
It came in response to the government’s decision to cut some $1.6 billion from the national budget. The strikers said the slashes, which will result in cuts in welfare programs, would unfairly target the working class.
Thousands of labor union members protested Wednesday outside the Knesset.
Addressing the crowd, Histadrut Chairman Amir Peretz said the strike was only a “rumbling of protest,” but that it could continue if the government adopted measures harmful to workers.
Peretz, a Labor Knesset member, rejected accusations that the strike was politically motivated.
Foreign Minister David Levy, who abstained in the government decision to make the massive budget cuts, said the strike unnecessarily caused damage to the economy.
He called instead for ongoing dialogue between the government and labor federation.
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