The general strike, declared by Histadrut labor union chairman Arnon Bar-David for what he called "the delay in a deal to return the hostages for political considerations," began on Monday morning, despite the fact that the labor union is legally allowed to strike only over issues connected to employment.
Despite the heads of the business sector joining the strike, a large percentage of the local authorities in the country and many companies announced that they would not take part in shutting down Israel's economy during wartime.
At the same time, the state submitted a petition on Monday to the Labor Court against the general strike.
The petition states: "Per the request of the Minister of Finance and the Prime Minister, the honorable court is asked to issue an urgent ephemeral and/or temporary remedy that states that the sudden strike declared by the Histadrut chairman regarding all state employees is not a strike for a collective labor dispute but rather a political strike."
The petition was submitted after the Attorney General accepted Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's request for her to work for the court to issue an injunction against the strikers.
Banks, some governmental offices, hi-tech firms, and companies that are part of the forum of 200 of Israel's biggest businesses announced that they would take part in the strike. The large malls belonging to Azrieli, Sarona, and Melisron demanded shopkeepers close their stores from noon.
Israel Railways is operating according to schedule while bus companies are operating in a partial format and have not yet published a clear announcement regarding the strike. The light rail in Jerusalem will not operate before 12:00 and the light rail in Gush Dan will be operating in a limited format.
As mentioned, a large number of local authorities refused to comply with the strike, including Jerusalem, Ashdod, Netanya, Ramla, Lod, Kiryat Shmona, Ashkelon, Dimona, Nahariyah, Sderot, Holon, Petah Tikva, Tzfat, Ariel, all authorities in Judea and Samaria, Qatzrin, Kiryat Yam, Kiryat Motzkin, Kiryat Bialik, Kiryat Gat, Beit Shemesh, Mitzpeh Ramon, Arad, Maaleh Adumim, Bnei Brak, and others.
In locations where authorities are striking, preschools and elementary schools will operate partially until 11:45 a.m. Daycare centers will operate as scheduled. Special education preschools and elementary schools will operate as usual.
Although the Histadrut announced that there would be no departures from Ben Gurion Airport from 8:00 a.m., the Airports Authority clarified that the airport would remain open. If there were a shutdown, it would be limited to departures and would last no more than two hours.
Hospitals in central Israel will operate in a weekend format and will only carry out urgent and oncological surgery. Other surgeries that were scheduled ahead of time will be rescheduled. Outpatient clinics will also be closed. The strike will not include community health, the hospitals in the north and south, which refused to take part in the strike, as well as emergency medicine, emergency rooms, oncology and dialysis centers, labor wards, and neonatal intensive care units.