General Strike In Israel Leads To Uneven Closures

September 2, 2024 4:29 am

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — A rare call for a general strike in Israel to protest the failure to return hostages held in Gaza led to closures and other disruptions around the country, including at its main international airport. But Monday’s strike was ignored in some areas, reflecting deep political divisions. Hundreds of thousands of Israelis had poured into the streets late Sunday to vent grief and anger after six hostages were found dead in Gaza. The families and much of the public blamed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying they could have been returned alive in a cease-fire deal with Hamas. But others support Netanyahu’s strategy of maintaining relentless military pressure on Hamas, whose Oct. 7 attack into Israel triggered the war.