Population Authority passport control workers have threatened a strike due to a labor dispute, potentially shutting down Ben-Gurion Airport next week.
A spokesman for the Israel Airports Authority stated that a strike of the border control officers of the Population and Immigration Authority could lead to a total shutdown of all border crossings.
These include Ben Gurion Airport, Allenby and Rabin Crossing into Jordan, and the Taba crossing to Egypt. The strike will take place between 7:00 and 16:00 and will result in a complete shutdown of entry and exit from Israel.
No exit or entry will be permitted, even to holders of biometric or foreign passports. Israelis in Egypt or Jordan will not be able to reenter Israel, and foreign nationals in Israel will not be allowed to leave.
There has been no statement whether this will affect arrivals by sea.
Transportation Minister Regev held a situational assessment today to prepare for the effects of such a strike. As part of the preparations, she asked Interior Minister Moshe Arbel, whose office includes the Population Authority, to transfer responsibility for passport control to the Israel Airports Authority, under the Transportation Ministry.
"We are preparing legislation on this matter. The days of an airport strike shutting down the country are over," Regev warned.
As of Friday, a tentative agreement had been reached between the workers and the government, but Ben-Gurion Airport was still advising travelers to check for any delays before arriving at the airport.