Strike disrupts Ben-Gurion Airport

JERUSALEM, Dec. 26 (JTA) — Hundreds of travelers were stranded at Israel’s Ben-Gurion Airport on Thursday, after airport workers staged a strike. All services for outgoing and incoming flights were suspended. Most travelers spent the hours wandering the duty-free shops and snack bars. The airport strike was one of a series of actions planned by the Histadrut trade federation to protest proposed government budget cuts and privatization plans. The Histadrut maintains that the government is reneging on wage agreements and has not included employees in plans for privatizing state companies. Telephone, port and rail services were also disrupted by the strike. Organizers said they were planning to hold strikes at hotels and banks next week.