NOVANEWS
by Cara St. Louis
From Reuters:
By escalating the action to a full strike – the first by the diplomatic corps since the country’s establishment in 1948 – the diplomats will close all of Israel’s 102 missions abroad, paralyzing most diplomatic work with other countries and the United Nations.
“We are completely shutting down the (foreign ministry) office and missions abroad. This is the first time ever,” ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said.
Another ministry official told Reuters: “As of now, the foreign ministry doesn’t exist. It’s not possible even to submit complaints”.
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman Called the strike “irresponsible” and “a wretched decision and a display of a loss of control on union’s part.”
“We shall do whatever possible to minimize the damage to the country and its citizens,” Lieberman said.
Diplomats said the strike – involving some 1,200 foreign service employees – was open-ended and had been called after the Treasury had failed to present any acceptable proposals.
They are demanding an increase in monthly salaries, which they put at 6,000-9,000 shekels ($1,700-$2,600), and want compensation for spouses forced to quit jobs due to foreign postings. They say about a third of their number has quit in the past 15 years due to poor wages.
Yacov Livne, spokesman for the diplomats’ union, said: “the Treasury is determined to destroy the foreign ministry and Israeli diplomacy.”
Germany agrees to represent Israel diplomatically
Israel’s foreign ministry has gone on strike. Israel has closed embassies worldwide on the heels of an agreement with Merkel’s Germany to represent it in predominantly Muslim countries.
I’m trying to remember a time when a labor dispute such as this has caused not only all embassies worldwide to close their doors but prompted the head of state of the country in question to cancel an historic trip to Latin America.
Add to the confusion: Israel just signed an agreement with Angela Merkel’s Germany to be represented by them in countries in which Israel has no embassy. So, in essence, Israel will be able to do business in countries where it has no Israeli representation, but is closing down the embassies it has in place over an embassy worker’s strike.
In the Jerusalem Post this morning, the following was spotted under a photograph of protest banners hung from the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, “Protest banners on Foreign Ministry building in Jerusalem: The fight for home starts abroad.” The fight for home? That’s one of the most encouraging things I’ve read in awhile. Personally, I despair for the Israelis as much as I despair for my fellow Americans under what can only be characterized as brutally aggressive and selfish regimes.
According to the article, the strike dispute is two years old, with negotiations having carried on for the last seven months. This perhaps does explain a puzzling agreement with Germany for representation abroad. All this does beg the question, why Germany? If one contemplates the current state of affairs, as we know it, we see that Germany seems to be spearheading the EU rumble over the Ukraine. However, the new ‘provisional’ government in the Ukraine are Nazis. This is a support relationship that rests uneasy with the parts of the world that understand these are, in fact, Nazi thugs who have taken control. The question is why now?
Why would Israel allow something like this to shut down all its embassies worldwide with the planet is such absolute political turmoil? Several visits to Israel have also been cancelled. Is Israel itself closed? From the Jerusalem Post, “A number of high-profile visits to Israel were canceled as a result of the measures (crippling labor measures) as well as Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s planned trip to Mexico, Colombia and Panama next month.” Next month?
Coming from a country in which labor actions have been quite common, in my estimation these are extreme reactions to a labor dispute. Meanwhile they also reported “Netanyahu…had no comment on Sunday on the strike that will paralyze the diplomatic corp around the world.”
The workers ostensibly are striking for better pay and for compensation for spouses forced to abandon careers in order to accompany their diplomat to a far-flung post. Once again, this mediation has been under way for two years with negotiations seriously on-going for seven months.
Funding for a Strike on Iran
Despite the state of affairs for the cadre of diplomats responsible for keeping the peace and weaving positive forward-looking congress among nations, Israeli news source, Haaretz, noted today:
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon have ordered the army to continue preparing for a possible military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities at a cost of at least 10 billion shekels ($2.89 billion) this year, despite the talks between Iran and the West, according to recent statements by senior military officers.
Three Knesset members who were present at Knesset joint committee hearings on Israel Defense Forces plans that were held in January and February say they learned during the hearings that 10 billion shekels to 12 billion shekels of the defense budget would be allocated this year for preparations for a strike on Iran, approximately the same amount that was allocated in 2013.”
Theater of the Absurd
As in the United States, the true situation beggars belief. Money and resources exponentially greater than resources spent on the needs of the citizenry, are diverted to generating the next much-anticipated potential blood bath. Indeed, one wonders why so much blood sacrifice is necessary or desired?
And again, “The foreign ministry will be completely closed for all activity, including Israel’s 103 embassies around the world from New Zealand, through Paris, London, Berlin, Washington and Israel’s representation at the UN.” With the notable exception, that is, of the representation offered by Angela Merkel’s government. What a lucky break for Israel that this agreement happened to be in place!
The agreement was signed 25 February of this year according to Der Spiegel, and allows Germany to represent Israel in diplomatic and consular efforts in Muslim countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia.