Strike Closes All Israeli Diplomatic Missions World-wide

All Israeli diplomatic missions – 103 of them world-wide, including embassies and consulates — have been closed by a strike of Foreign Ministry employees as of Monday. The strike marks the first time in Israeli history that the Foreign Service has been literally closed down. The job action includes the Foreign Ministry office in Jerusalem from which Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, his deputy minister and director-general are all prohibited from entering. The strike comes after a year of impasse in talks with the Finance Ministry over wages, benefits and pensions. Workers argue that those who are stationed overseas are forced to survive on Israeli salaries where the local cost of living is much greater than that of Israel. In a statement, Foreign Minister Lieberman called the job action “irresponsible.” The head of the workers’ union charged that the Finance Ministry “sabotages” the interests of the state. Consular services around the world have been suspended, including the issuing of passports and visas; while diplomatic contacts are also halted. In New York and Geneva, where the United Nations has scheduled votes on five anti-Israel resolutions including one that will reinforce efforts of the anti-Israel BDS (boycott, divestiture and sanctions) movement, there is no diplomatic activity by Israel to deal with the measures. The Pope’s visit scheduled for May is now in jeopardy because of the strike.