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Israel's Business Forum joined the Hostage Family Forum call to protest as Israelis blocked junctions around the country. The Histadrut chairman, Arnon Bar David, Israel's main labor organization, called for a total shutdown of the country's economy on Monday starting at 6 a.m., and Israel's airport followed shortly after. Israelis gathered at junctions and blocked intersections around the country Sunday morning, calling for a hostage deal after reports came out that the bodies of six hostages had been retrieved from Gaza. Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Carmel Gat, Almog Sarusi, Alexander Lobanov, and Ori Danino were alive in captivity for nearly...

Former Justice Minister Haim Ramon spoke out against the proposed ceasefire-prisoner swap deal, saying that it is "the worst deal" that Israel could possibly agree to. In an interview with 103 FM Radio, Ramon said, "The deal proposed today is the worst of all worlds. In practice, we will end the war. Anyone who thinks that after 42 days, by pressing a button, we will restart the war - is making a mistake. People will return to the Gaza border area, to the north, and it will be very hard to continue the war." "Because it is this way, and...

Jan. 5, 2004 Finance, Histadrut sign deal ending civil service strike By TAL MUSCAL More than three months of labor sanctions at government ministries came to an end Monday afternoon when Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Histadrut Chairman MK Amir Peretz shook hands and said their 100-day duel was over. At the Finance Ministry, Netanyahu told reporters that a major triumph of the deal was "the saving of Israeli pensions." "I know you all want to know who won. Without doubt, the Israeli public is the winner. We are pleased with the result, and if the Histadrut is pleased, we...

Dec. 8, 2003 Bibi interrupted at Economic Forum by activists By JPOST.COM STAFF Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, addressing the closing session of the 2003 Economic Forum, was interrupted social activists who accused him of destroying Israeli society, Monday. Netanyahu told audience members that although his economic program was a painful one, it was the only way of returning the economy to growth. He called upon Bank of Israel governor David Klein to continue lowering interest rates, in order to help the business sector - on one hand - and overdrawn lower classes - on the other. Histadrut Chairman Amir Peretz...

Last Update: 24/11/2003 22:53 Netanyahu, Peretz to hold decisive marathon talks By Zohar Blumenkrantz , Zvi Zrahiya and Haim Bior, Haaretz Correspondents, and Haaretz Service Passengers waiting at the Ben-Gurion International Airport on Sunday, as takeoffs were halted due to a strike. (Nir Kafri) Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded positively on Monday evening to a proposal by Histadrut labor federation leader Amir Peretz to meet on Wednesday and Thursday in the framework of decisive marathon talks aimed at ending 56 days of public sector sanctions. The talks, which will be held in an isolated location, will debate the still unresolved...

Finance Ministry-Histadrut talks break down The Histadrut stands by its decision to launch a general strike on November 3rd. Sapir Peretz 23 Oct 03 15:16This morning's meeting between Minister of Finance Benjamin Netanyahu and Histadrut chairman MK Amir Perez at Kfar Hamaccabi ended without results. The Histadrut (General Federation of Labor in Israel) decision to launch a general strike as of November 3 stands. After the meeting, Netanyahu told the media that it was the government job to decide what to do, but it was prepared to negotiate over how to do it. "As for what to do, we...

Jun. 17, 2003 Official unemployment remains at 10.8%, real figure may exceed 20% By MATI WAGNER April's unemployment rate remained at the March level of 10.8 percent, representing 281,400 unemployed, the Central Bureau of Statistics reported Monday. Bank of Israel economists said the unemployment rate would reach a record 11.5%-12%, or approximately 313,300 people, by the end of the year. The unemployment rate has been rising on average by 0.1% per month since the beginning of the year, amounting to a 0.4% rise since December 2002, reflecting an additional 20,420 unemployed. The number of unemployed has risen by 15,630 since...

Histadrut Planning To Strike The Histadrut Labor Union, under the leadership of MK Amir Peretz, is threatening an economy-wide strike in the coming days, in protest against the new economic program to be adopted by the government. Peretz and Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu met today but did not come to a meeting of the minds, and the strike threat is still on. "We refuse to allow the entire burden of the current economic crisis to fall upon the working class," Peretz said. The new economic program was attacked from another angle as well. Jewish Agency Chairman Sallai Meridor, addressing a...