ISRAEL CLOSES ALL EMBASSIES DUE TO DIPLOMATS’ STRIKE

Tel Aviv, 24 Jumadil Awwal 1435/25 March 2014 (MINA) – All Israel’s embassies across the world have been closed following an unprecedented general strike by Israeli diplomats over their wage and working conditions.

On Sunday Israeli occupation diplomats escalated their industrial action to a full strike – the first since the creation of Israel in 1948 – closing all the regime’s 102 missions abroad and paralyzing most diplomatic work with other states and the UN.

The action has affected or may postpone 25 visits by foreign officials to Israel, including a planned May visit by Pope Francis, according to Press TV report quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA).

“We are completely shutting down the (foreign ministry) office and missions abroad. This is the first time ever,” said Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor.

“As of now, the foreign ministry doesn’t exist. It’s not possible even to submit complaints,” another foreign ministry official told .

According to Israeli diplomats, the strike which involves some 1,200 foreign service employees is open-ended and the action has been adopted after the Treasury failed to present any acceptable proposals to their requests.

The diplomats demand a raise in monthly salaries and compensation for spouses forced to quit jobs due to foreign postings.

Nearly a third of Israeli diplomats have quit their jobs ins the past 15 years due to poor wages, they said.

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman slammed the strike as “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,” he said.

Spokesman for the diplomats’ union Yacov Livne, on the other hand, said that the Treasury is “determined to destroy the foreign ministry and Israeli occupation diplomacy.”(T/P04/E01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)